WEBDESK: China has officially urged the United States to completely cancel reciprocal tariffs, saying that the ongoing trade measures are harmful to both economies and global trade.
The statement came from China’s Ministry of Commerce, which criticized the U.S. for continuing what it called the “mistaken practice” of reciprocal tariffs. The ministry said these tariffs are damaging the foundation of cooperation and called for a return to mutual respect.
“We urge the US to … take a big step to correct its mistakes, completely cancel the wrong practice of ‘reciprocal tariffs’ and return to the right path of mutual respect,” a commerce ministry spokesperson said in a statement.
The appeal follows Washington’s decision to offer short-term exemptions on certain items like smartphones, laptops, and semiconductor equipment. However, the U.S. also confirmed that new sector-based tariffs – especially on semiconductors – may be enforced soon.
The new exemptions will benefit US companies such as Dell, Nvidia, and Apple, which makes premium products in China.
China has already responded by imposing its own reciprocal tariffs of up to 125% on American goods, starting this weekend. Meanwhile, the U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports have risen as high as 145% in some cases, escalating trade tensions between the two nations.
Officials in Washington argue that reciprocal tariffs are pushing countries to negotiate better trade deals with the U.S. But Beijing says this strategy is increasing global uncertainty and disrupting supply chains, especially in technology markets.
In an effort to strengthen economic ties elsewhere, Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting Southeast Asian countries this week, including Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia. This regional tour is seen as a move to reduce reliance on U.S. trade partnerships.
Read more: US plans new duties on Chinese tech products despite recent exemptions
