Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday accused the United States of “meeting good with evil” for imposing a new round of “arbitrary tariffs” and vowed retaliation.
The fiery words from Wang came during a Friday news conference on the sidelines of China’s annual parliamentary session, just days after the U.S. levied duties against China – as well as Canada and Mexico – over accusations of fentanyl smuggling.
All countries have called these allegations unjustified, with China maintaining it has done a lot in recent years to curb the exports of industrial chemicals that are used to make fentanyl – which, Wang alleged, have been with punitive tariffs.
Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian earlier this week argued that fentanyl was a “flimsy excuse” to raise tariffs on Chinese imports, cautioning that “intimidation does not scare us” and “bullying” would not work.
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Speaking to reporters on Friday, Wang said it was a fantasy to believe that the U.S. could simultaneously “suppress China and maintain a good relationship.”
“Such two-faced acts are not good for the stability of bilateral relations or for building mutual trust,” Wang said.
The duties were the latest in a series of retaliatory tariffs Washington and Beijing have imposed against one another since President Donald Trump’s return to office in January. Trump raised flat tariffs on all Chinese imports to 20%, while Beijing countered with additional 15% duties on American imports including chicken, pork, soy and beef, and expanded controls on doing business with key U.S. companies.
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The foreign minister’s annual press conference is the one occasion on which Wang speaks to Chinese and foreign media on a range of topics. Friday’s event was dominated by questions about China’s ties with the U.S., along with other topics such as regional conflicts and collaborations within the Global South.
Regarding the Trump administration’s policy of safeguarding U.S. interests above international cooperation, Wang said such an approach, if adopted by every country in the world, would result in the “law of the jungle.”
“Small and weak countries will get burnt first, and the international order and rules will be under severe shock,” Wang said. “Major countries should undertake their international obligations … and not seek to profit from and bully the weak.”
