China retaliates against US’ 20% tariffs with its own – “if war is what the US wants, we’re ready to fight”

According to China’s ministry of foreign affairs (MFA), the fentanyl issue is a flimsy excuse to increase United States tariffs on Chinese imports. This comes shortly after US president Donald Trump raised tariffs on all Chinese imports to 20% on March 4 this year, which is up 10% more than what was stated in a prior executive order posted several weeks ago in February.

In an amendment posted by the White House, Trump said that China, along with Mexico and Canada which also got slapped with a 25% tariff, did not take adequate steps to reduce the influx of synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, to the US that “constituted an unusual and extraordinary threat.”

In posting on X (formerly Twitter), the MFA said countermeasures to defend China’s rights and interests are fully legitimate and necessary. This includes fresh 10-15% retaliatory levies on US agriculture and food exports, while 25 US firms have been slapped with export and investment curbs on the ground of national security.

The fentanyl issue is a flimsy excuse to raise U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports. Our countermeasures to defend our rights and interests are fully legitimate and necessary.

The U.S., not anyone else, is responsible for the #FentanylCrisis inside the U.S. In the spirit of humanity… pic.twitter.com/OjvSEcZS6o

— Spokesperson发言人办公室 (@MFA_China) March 4, 2025

“The US, not anyone else, is responsible for the fentanyl crisis inside the US. In the spirit of humanity and goodwill towards the American people, we have taken robust steps to assist the US in dealing with the issue,” the MFA wrote in its posting.

“Instead of recognising our efforts, the US has sought to smear and shift blame to China, and is seeking to pressure and blackmail China with tariff hikes. They’ve been punishing us for helping them. This is not going to solve the US’ problem and will undermine our counternarcotics dialogue and cooperation,” it added.

The ministry added that pressuring, coercion or threats are not the right way of dealing with China. “If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end,” it ended.

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