China’s Wang Yi questions what US has achieved with tariffs, warns against ‘two-faced’ approach

BEIJING – China’s top diplomat Wang Yi has questioned what the US has achieved in imposing tariffs, while stressing that it is “fully possible” for the two superpowers to “prosper together”.

“Has its trade deficit widened or narrowed? Has its manufacturing become more or less competitive? Has inflation gone up or down? Have the lives of its people got better or worse?” he said on March 7 in response to a question about China’s approach to the US under President Donald Trump.

Mr Wang was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the

Two Sessions, China’s annual parliamentary meetings

held in Beijing, where thousands of delegates from across the country are gathering this week to discuss national policies.

The Chinese Foreign Minister added that no country should harbour any illusions that it can suppress China while maintaining good relations with Beijing. “Such a two-faced approach is not good for the stability of bilateral relations or for building mutual trust.”

In vowing that China will take measures to counter “arbitrary pressure”, he was the latest senior Chinese official to strike a defiant tone amid an escalating US-China trade war.

Each side has

imposed

tit-for-tat

tariffs

on goods from the other, with Mr Trump accusing China of not doing enough on drug control.

Since a new US administration took office in January, US-China rivalry has continued to play out across issues

from technology to TikTok.

On March 5, US prosecutors announced criminal charges against a dozen Chinese nationals for allegedly hacking into US companies and government agencies.

But there remains uncertainty in the trajectory of bilateral ties as Mr Trump has not yet articulated a broader strategy towards China, which remains hopeful of striking a deal with the US President that will avert further damage to its slowing economy.

Mr Wang said that as the world’s largest developed and developing countries, both must seek peaceful coexistence. “It is fully possible for China and the US to become partners, helping each other succeed and prosper together.”

His press conference is among the highlights of the Two Sessions – a rare occasion where the Foreign Minister takes questions directly from Chinese and foreign reporters on major diplomatic issues.

Friction with the US was reflected in his replies to questions about the different facets of US-China competition.

On security, Mr Wang contended that the US’ Indo-Pacific Strategy, which was issued in 2022 under the Biden administration to strengthen cooperation with US allies and partners, has proved more disruptive than constructive for the region.

Asked about the US deployment of intermediate-range missiles in the region – likely referring to the Philippines’ decision to acquire the US Typhon missile system in December 2024 – he said China firmly opposed it and “countries in the region do not welcome it either”.

“Asia is not a battleground for great power games, but should become a model field for international cooperation,” said Mr Wang.

On US-China competition in science and technology, he repeated a line commonly spoken by Chinese officials – that attempts to suppress China will be ineffective. He cited achievements such as artificial intelligence upstart DeepSeek, quantum computing, missions to space and 5G telecommunications networks.

“This path (to becoming a technological power) is not without its difficulties. Whether it is aerospace technology or chip manufacturing, external unreasonable pressure has never stopped.”

“(But) high walls cannot hold back innovative thinking, and decoupling and breaking chains will ultimately (lead one to) isolate oneself,” he said.

Over 23 questions at the 90-minute press conference, Mr Wang spoke about China’s relations with major powers such as Japan and India, as well as South-east Asia.

South China Sea

On the South China Sea issue, he insinuated that the Philippines has been used by the West to create friction with China and to make the country look bad.

“Let me make it clear that infringement and provocation will backfire, and those acting as the chess pieces for others are bound to be discarded,” he said.

Mr Wang said that for there to be lasting peace and stability in the South China Sea, there must be trust and rules. China and Asean are in talks for a code of conduct (COC) – which is essentially a commitment to acceptable behaviour in the disputed areas of the South China Sea – and have completed a third reading of the single draft.

“We are fully confident that we can reach an agreement on the COC,” he said.

As for China-Japan ties, which appear to be on the mend under Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Mr Wang said the bilateral relationship has shown “positive momentum” but also offered stern reminders of the challenges ahead.

He raised the issue of the suffering that Japan had brought to people in China and Asia during World War II. “Guarding against the revival of militarism is a duty that Japan must carry out without a moment of relaxation,” he said.

He also rapped Japan for its supportive position regarding Taiwan, a self-governing territory claimed by China, saying that there are people in Japan who continue to “collude with” Taiwan independence forces.

Mr Wang stressed that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and that 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the island’s return to the mainland after the end of World War II.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan rejects such a narrative, contending that Taiwan is already sovereign and independent.

Mr Wang said: “Taiwan has never been a country; it was not in the past, and there is no possibility of it ever becoming one.”

“Advocating ‘Taiwan independence’ is to split the country, supporting ‘Taiwan independence’ is to interfere in China’s internal affairs, and conniving at ‘Taiwan independence’ is to undermine stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

While Mr Wang appeared to have offered an olive branch to the US, analysts told The Straits Times that US-China ties could get worse, given Mr Trump’s unpredictable nature.

Professor Shi Yinhong of Renmin University said given that US allies and partners in the Americas and East Asia are likely to give in to Mr Trump, expecting him to be gentle towards China is akin to “looking for fish in a tree”.

“China’s two sets of countermeasures to US tariffs have also touched a nerve,” said the US-China relations expert.

Assistant Professor Dylan Loh of Nanyang Technological University, who studies China’s foreign policy, noted that the US-China relationship is unpredictable under Mr Trump – while there could be significant breakthroughs, there could also be “lower lows”.

For now, the US President is more focused on his domestic agenda and pushing hard on peace talks to end the Ukrainian war, which is something he campaigned heavily on, said Prof Loh.

“So in that way, together with the war in Gaza, Trump wants to be able to put his main energies on these issues first... It is not only China but the Asia-Pacific, broadly speaking, that has not seen Trump’s ideas and policies take shape yet.”