China has vowed to take "all necessary countermeasures" after United States President Donald Trump said he would impose an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports.
Trump's decision will take effect next Tuesday, along with 25 percent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, intensifying the trade war between the world's two largest economies.
The 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports is added to the existing 25 percent tax, a decision Trump made earlier this month.
Trump earlier this month announced — and then suspended — a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico. But the month-long suspension ends on Tuesday. The tariffs, imposed on the United States, were imposed over illegal immigration and the smuggling of fentanyl.
After reporters asked if the tariffs would take effect next week, Trump wrote on social media Thursday that the proposed tariffs would take effect on the planned date until the fentanyl problem is stopped "or contained."
"Also, an additional 10 percent tariff will be imposed on China on that date," he said, referring to March 4.
In response to Trump's accusations that Beijing is contributing to the fentanyl crisis in the US, a spokesman for China's Ministry of Commerce said on February 28 that Washington was "shifting the blame."
"China is one of the countries with the strictest anti-drug policies in the world. "But the US side has always ignored these facts," the statement said.
"If the US side insists on continuing in this manner, the Chinese side will take all necessary countermeasures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests," the spokesman said.
The statement also said that raising tariffs "does not help solve the (US) problem", adding that increasing tariffs would increase "the burden on US companies and consumers and undermine the stability of the global industrial chain".
Next week, China's leadership will meet to outline plans on how to protect the Chinese economy from Trump's threats.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said a day earlier that she hoped to speak with Trump to avoid threats of tariffs.
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said officials are working tirelessly to avoid US tariffs, but Canada will respond "immediately" if the measures go into effect next week.
Trudeau has repeatedly stressed that less than 1 percent of fentanyl and illegal immigrants entering the U.S. cross the Canadian border.
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