China declared on Tuesday, October 14, that it is prepared to “fight to the end” in its trade war with the United States, following President Donald Trump’s announcement of plans to impose an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese goods.
Trump made the threat in a social media post on Friday, shortly after Beijing unveiled sweeping new export controls on rare earths — a key sector where China holds global dominance. He also revealed that Washington would introduce export controls on “any and all critical software” beginning November 1.
The latest escalation has unsettled global markets and cast doubt over a potential meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, expected to take place in South Korea.
“On the matter of tariff wars and trade wars, China’s position remains consistent,” an unnamed commerce ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday. “If you wish to fight, we shall fight to the end; if you wish to negotiate, our door remains open.”
The ministry criticised Washington’s stance, adding: “The United States cannot seek dialogue while simultaneously threatening new restrictive measures. This is not the proper way to engage with China.”
Trump appeared to soften his tone in a Sunday post, saying “it will all be fine” and that the United States wants to “help” China.
Despite rising tensions, official data released Monday showed that China’s exports remained robust, growing 8.3 percent year-on-year in September — the fastest pace since March. Shipments to the United States rose to $34.3 billion for the month.
At present, Chinese goods face US tariffs of at least 30 percent, stemming from earlier levies imposed by Trump, who accused Beijing of unfair trade practices and contributing to the fentanyl crisis. China’s retaliatory tariffs currently stand at 10 percent.
The global implications of Trump’s renewed tariff push are expected to dominate discussions at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Washington this week. The White House maintains that the long-term effects of the tariffs will ultimately benefit the US economy.
