Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China will continue to retaliate to the United States’ “arbitrary tariffs” and accused Washington of “meeting good with evil” in a press conference Friday on the sidelines of the country’s annual parliamentary session.

Wang said China’s efforts to help the U.S. contain its fentanyl crisis have been met with punitive tariffs, which are straining the ties between the countries.

“No country should fantasize that it can suppress China and maintain a good relationship with China at the same time,” Wang said. “Such two-faced acts are not good for the stability of bilateral relations or for building mutual trust.”

The two countries have been reengaging in tit-for-tat retaliatory tariffs since U.S. President Donald Trump’s return to office in January. The U.S. has imposed flat tariffs of 20% of all Chinese imports, while Beijing has countered with additional 15% duties on U.S. imports including chicken, pork, soy and beef, and expanded controls on doing business with key U.S. companies.

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.”

On the Ukraine war, Wang reiterated China’s stance of supporting conflict resolution through political negotiations. Wang said that in hindsight, the Ukraine conflict “could have been avoided.”

“All parties should learn something from the crisis,” he said. “Among many other things, security should be mutual and equal, and no country should build its security on the insecurity of another.”

Wang stressed that China-Russia relations are as strong as ever despite recent consultations between the U.S. and Russia on ending the Ukraine war. He said Beijing and Moscow are planning joint celebrations this year marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

On Taiwan, the island democracy China claims as its own, Wang said “Taiwan has never been a country and will never be a country in the future.”

“Advocating for Taiwan independence is splitting the country, supporting Taiwan independence is interfering in China’s internal affairs, and conniving for Taiwan independence is undermining the stability of the Taiwan Strait,” he said.

Those who support Taiwan’s independence are “only playing with fire and will burn themselves,” Wang said.

Asked about Trump’s plan to take control of Gaza and resettle Palestinians in neighboring countries, Wang said Gaza belongs to the Palestinians and any forced change of the territory’s status would trigger new turbulence. He said China backs the peace plan put forth by Egypt and other Arab countries and reiterated Beijing’s support for a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel.

“The Israeli-Palestinian conflict takes place again and again simply because the two-state solution is only half-achieved,” Wang said. “The state of Israel has long been a reality, but the state of Palestine is still far beyond reach.”

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China slams US tariffs, says its economy is resilient but there are no winners in a trade war

China will not yield to bullying and its economy can weather higher tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump and other challenges, the Chinese commerce minister said Thursday, though he added that there are “no winners in a trade war."

Speaking on the sidelines of the annual session of China's national congress, Wang Wentao reiterated Beijing's calls for talks. Coercion and threats are bound to fail, he said, noting that China’s role as a main trading partner of 140 nations means it has plenty of options. Wang and other officials outlined Beijing's strategies for building its economy and financial markets, but did not announce any major new initiatives.

Here are some highlights:

China is open to talks, but will fight US tariffs

The Trump administration has raised tariffs on imports from China twice since taking office in January. China has hit back with duties and other restrictions on American goods and companies. Wang said China expects mutual respect in its dealings with other countries.

“Coercion and threats will not work on China, nor will they scare China. China’s determination to defend its own interests is unswerving," Wang said, adding that “there are no winners in a trade war.”

“If the American side goes further down this wrong path, we will fight to the end,” he said.

Still, he stressed that China is open to resolving differences over trade. “Our two sides can meet at an appropriate time and our teams can also have communication as early as possible,” he said.

Blaming China for the U.S. fentanyl problem — Trump’s stated reason for imposing 20% tariffs on all imports from China — won’t solve the problem, he said.

China has other options for global trade

China is the main trading partner of 140 countries and regions and has free trade agreements with more than 30 countries, Wang said.

“We are ready to sign more FTA,” he added.

Wang acknowledged that Chinese exporters face serious challenges but said Beijing is encouraging companies to participate in trade shows and to expand globally. The Chinese government is also expanding its financial support for export credit and hopes to increase trade in services and e-commerce.

“We do not put all our eggs in one basket,” he said.

Supporting more consumer demand and business investment

A slump in China's housing market and lackluster share prices, scant social welfare and job losses since the COVID-19 pandemic have weighed on China's economy, dragging on growth.

Zheng Shanjie, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s main national planning agency, acknowledged that forecasts for economic growth for 2025 tend to be around 4.6% to 4.8%, below the government's target of “around 5%.”

Zheng said the government is drafting a “specialized plan of action” to encourage more consumer spending and investment. He did not provide specific details.

China will spend more on “livelihood and consumption,” Finance Minister Lan Fo'an said, promising more help for deeply indebted local governments and bigger investments in education, social security and public health.

“We will make sure that every coin is well spent,” Lan said, adding that “the central government has left ample room for policy to be implemented.”

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China Warns The U.S. It's Ready For 'A Tariff War, A Trade War Or Any Other Type Of War'

Beijing is warning the U.S. it is ready to fight “a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war” after President Donald Trump doubled the tariffs already in place for Chinese imports this week.

Trump has accused China of fueling a drug crisis in the U.S., suggesting that the tariffs he’s levied on all Chinese imports should encourage Beijing to do more to address the issue.

The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. blasted the White House action as counterproductive late Tuesday.

“If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end,” it wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the statement during an appearance on “Fox and Friends” Wednesday morning.

“Well, we’re prepared,” Hegseth said. “Those who long for peace must prepare for war.”

“We live in a dangerous world with powerful ascending countries with very different ideologies,” he added. “If we want to deter war with the Chinese or others, we have to be strong.”

The embassy’s comments echoed the words of Lin Jian, the spokesperson for the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who accused the Trump administration of using a “flimsy excuse” to punish Beijing with tariffs.

Last month, Trump levied 10% tariffs on all goods coming from China, citing the country’s production of chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl. The president doubled the universal tariff on Chinese imports on Tuesday.

In response, China said it will levy additional tariffs of up to 15% on U.S. farm products starting next week, and also blacklisted more American companies.

Trump also imposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada this week, but issued a one-month exception for U.S. automakers, amid concerns about the impact of his trade war.

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