Saturday, March 29, 2025
China Slams Trump’s Tariff Threats Ahead of Xi Meeting, Warns U.S. Against “Bullying”
Beijing, September 15, 2025
China has sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent call for NATO nations to impose steep tariffs on Beijing, dismissing the move as “economic coercion and bullying.” The rebuke came just days before Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to hold direct talks.
Last week, Trump urged G7 and NATO countries to place tariffs ranging from 50% to 100% on Chinese goods, linking the demand to efforts to pressure Russia amid the ongoing Ukraine war. In a letter to NATO members, Trump argued that coordinated sanctions and trade penalties were necessary to stop Moscow’s aggression. He also urged allies to halt oil imports from Russia, warning that failure to act would undermine the Western coalition.
At a press briefing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian condemned Trump’s remarks. “China’s economic and energy cooperation with Russia and other countries is legitimate and lawful,” Lin said. “What the United States is doing amounts to unilateralism, threats, and economic pressure. It seriously violates international trade rules and undermines global supply chain security and stability.”
Lin stressed that intimidation would not succeed: “Everyone knows threats and pressure cannot win hearts or solve problems. China firmly opposes unlawful unilateral sanctions and the abuse of long-arm jurisdiction against our country. If China’s legitimate rights and interests are harmed, we will take firm countermeasures to safeguard our sovereignty, security, and development interests.”
Despite the sharp exchange, Trump signaled a possible thaw in specific disputes. On Monday, he posted on Truth Social that the U.S. had reached a deal with China concerning a company “that American youth deeply care about”—a reference widely seen as related to TikTok. He added that he will speak with Xi Jinping on Friday, insisting that U.S.-China relations “remain very strong.”
Trump’s tariff threats are part of a broader push against countries buying Russian oil. India, for instance, has already been hit with a 50% tariff on its exports to the U.S., including a 25% surcharge specifically tied to its energy imports from Moscow. So far, however, Washington has not imposed comparable penalties against Beijing.
China’s warning sets the stage for a high-stakes Trump–Xi conversation later this week, where tariffs, technology disputes, and global energy markets are all expected to dominate the agenda.
