China says on 'right side of history' in trade standoff with US
BEIJING: A top Chinese economic official on Monday stated that Beijing is on the "right side of history" in its gruelling trade war with the United States.
Since returning to the presidency in January, US President Donald Trump has imposed 10% tariffs on most US trading partners and a separate 145% levy on numerous products from China.
Beijing has retaliated with 125% tariffs on US goods.
Speaking in Beijing at a news conference where officials pledged greater measures to shield China's struggling economy from the impact of the standoff, senior economic planner Zhao Chenxin asserted that Beijing is "on the right side of history".
"We firmly believe that if you are against the world and the truth, you will only isolate yourselves," Zhao remarked.
"Only by travelling with the world and with morality can we win the future," he added.
The United States, he said, "play cards out of thin air, bully and go back on their word", condemning Washington's "unilateralism and bullying".
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday defended Trump's tumultuous tariff policy—which has sent shockwaves through markets—as a means of creating "strategic uncertainty" that gives Washington the upper hand.
Dozens of countries face a 90-day deadline expiring in July to reach an agreement with Washington and avoid higher, country-specific rates.
Beijing, however, has vowed to fight the trade war "to the end" and denied US claims that it is in talks with Washington.
Nevertheless, it has acknowledged that global economic vicissitudes have strained its economy, which has long been reliant on exports.
"External pressures are increasing," said Yu Jiadong of China's labour ministry on Monday.
"The US imposition of successive high-tariff measures has created production and operational challenges for some export-oriented companies and impacted some workers' jobs," he stated.
By RSS/AFP
