China ‘firmly rejects’ US claim that it violated tariff deal
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US President Donald Trump said last week that China had “totally violated” the deal, without providing details.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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BEIJING - China said on June 2 that it “firmly rejects” claims by the United States that it had violated a deal to lower crippling tariffs between the world’s two largest economies, and promised to take forceful measures to safeguard its interests.
Beijing and Washington in May agreed to temporarily slash staggeringly high levies on each other for 90 days,
But US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Beijing was “slow-rolling the deal”, in comments to Fox News on June 1.
Beijing hit back on June 2, saying that Washington “has made bogus charges and unreasonably accused China of violating the consensus, which is seriously contrary to the facts”.
“China firmly rejects these unreasonable accusations,” its Commerce Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said China had implemented and actively upheld the agreement reached in May in Geneva, while the US had introduced multiple “discriminatory restrictive” measures against China.
Those measures included issuing guidance on artificial intelligence chip export controls, halting sales of chip design software to China, and revoking visas for Chinese students, the ministry added.
“The US government has unilaterally and repeatedly provoked new economic and trade frictions, exacerbating uncertainty and instability in bilateral economic and trade relations,” the ministry said.
It did not elaborate on what forceful measures it might take in response.
US President Donald Trump said last week that China had “totally violated” the deal,
But Beijing’s Commerce Ministry said it “has been firm in safeguarding its rights and interests, and sincere in implementing the consensus”.
Washington “has successively introduced a number of discriminatory restrictive measures against China”, it said, citing export controls on artificial intelligence chips and revoking Chinese student visas in the US.
“We urge the US to meet China halfway, immediately correct its wrongful actions, and jointly uphold the consensus from the Geneva trade talks,” the ministry said.
If not, “China will continue to resolutely take strong measures to uphold its legitimate rights and interests”, it added.
Trump-Xi talks?
US officials have said they are frustrated by what they see as Chinese foot-dragging on approving export licences for rare earths and other elements needed to make cars and chips.
But Washington’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent looked to ease the pressure on June 1, saying the two sides could arrange a call between their respective heads of state to resolve their differences.
“I’m confident... this will be ironed out” in a call between Mr Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Mr Bessent said on CBS’ Face The Nation.
He added, however, that China was “withholding some of the products that they agreed to release”, including rare earths.
On when a Trump-Xi call could take place, Mr Bessent said: “I believe we will see something very soon.”
China has been less forthcoming, and the Commerce Ministry’s statement on June 2 did not mention any planned conversations between the two leaders.
The Geneva deal was “an important consensus reached by the two sides on the principle of mutual respect and equality, and its results were hard-won”, the ministry said.
It warned Washington against “going its own way and continuing to harm China’s interests”.
Global stocks finished mixed on May 30 after Mr Trump made his social media post accusing Beijing.
The Hong Kong stock exchange was down around 2 per cent shortly after opening on June 2. AFP
