Xi Jinping Calls on EU to Stand Together Against US ‘Unilateral Bullying’ Amid Rising Tariff Tensions

New Delhi: Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on the European Union to join China in opposing US trade policies that he deems as “unilateral bullying.” During a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing on Friday, Xi said that China and Europe “should fulfill their international responsibilities and jointly resist unilateral bullying practices.” 

He argued that this collaboration would also safeguard "international fairness and justice."

Spain’s Role in the Global Trade Debate

Prime Minister Sanchez, whose country is China’s fourth-largest trade partner in Europe, acknowledged Spain’s significant trade deficit with China. 

However, he urged that trade tensions should not hinder the potential for further economic growth between China and the EU. 

Sanchez's statements come at a time when the European Union is recalibrating its trade stance, with the US's recent tariffs on European goods causing instability in global markets.

EU Trade Strategy Under Scrutiny

Sanchez's trip is part of a broader rethinking within the EU regarding its trade strategy, especially in light of rising tensions with the United States. 

In a separate meeting with EU officials earlier, Sanchez urged his counterparts to reconsider the proposed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. 

Sanchez’s visit to China follows a similar trip to Vietnam, where he signed a declaration with Vietnamese leaders to strengthen bilateral ties. 

China Hikes Tariffs on US Goods to 125%

China also significantly raised tariffs on American imports, escalating trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies. In a statement released on Friday, Beijing confirmed it had increased tariffs on certain US goods from 84% to an eye-watering 125%. 

The move, announced by China’s Ministry of Finance, comes as the country grows increasingly frustrated with US trade policies and restrictions that it views as detrimental to its economic interests.

“If the US continues to infringe upon China’s interests in a substantive manner, China will take decisive countermeasures and fight to the end,” the Chinese finance ministry warned, as reported by Reuters.

Earlier, the United States confirmed the imposition of a hefty 145% tariff on Chinese imports, a move aimed at countering China’s trade practices and its retaliation to earlier US tariffs. This sweeping action is already rattling global markets, which are on edge amid growing tensions between the two superpowers.

The 145% tariff includes a 125% general duty, with an additional 20% levy related to China’s alleged role in the fentanyl crisis, bringing the total to an unprecedented level. 

According to a White House memo, “The staggering US tariffs on the world’s second-largest economy have ignited a tit-for-tat trade war that has unsettled global financial markets.”

Meanwhile, countries such as India, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Israel have received concessions from the US tariffs, while others, including Japan, South Korea, the UK, Switzerland, Australia, and Brazil, are seeking to negotiate with Washington.