The Chinese Embassy in Washington has said that neither the United States nor China would win a trade war in reaction to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s threats to slam an additional 10% tariff on all Chinese imports when he enters office on January 20, 2025.
“About the issue of US tariffs on China, China believes that China-US economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial in nature.” the Chinese Embassy Spokesperson Liu Pengyu said in a statement.
No one will win a trade war or a tariff war,” Liu had asserted.
Trump had earlier said he would impose the tariffs until China halts the flow of illegal drugs, especially fentanyl, into the United States.
In the statement, Liu added that China had taken steps to fight drug trafficking after an agreement was brokered last year between U.S President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“The Chinese side has notified the US side of the progress made in US-related law enforcement operations against narcotics. All these prove that the idea of China knowingly allowing fentanyl precursors to flow into the United States runs completely counter to facts and reality,” Liu said.
There has been a steady, visible progress in co-operation over shutting down illegal traffic in chemicals used to manufacture deadly fentanyl after Xi and Biden agreed to resume joint efforts last year.
The United States, – where fentanyl abuse has been a major cause of death, has pressures China to enact stricter law enforcement, including intercepting illicit finance and clamping further controls on the chemicals.
In June, China’s top prosecutor urged its law enforcement officials to focus on fighting drug trafficking, as Beijing and Washington revealed a rare joint investigation into drugs.
In August, days after a meeting of a joint counternarcotics working group, China said it would consolidate controls on the three chemicals necessary for making fentanyl.
