WASHINGTON: Neither the US nor China would win a commerce conflict, the Chinese language Embassy in Washington mentioned on Monday (Nov 25), after US president-elect Donald Trump threatened to slap an additional 10 per cent tariff on all Chinese imports when he takes workplace on Jan 20.
“In regards to the subject of US tariffs on China, China believes that China-US financial and commerce cooperation is mutually helpful in nature,” Chinese language Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu mentioned in a press release.
“Nobody will win a commerce conflict or a tariff conflict,” Liu mentioned.
Trump mentioned he would impose the tariffs till China stops the circulation of unlawful medication, significantly fentanyl, into the US.
Within the assertion, Liu mentioned China had taken steps to fight drug trafficking after an settlement was reached final 12 months between President Joe Biden and Chinese language President Xi Jinping.
“The Chinese language aspect has notified the US aspect of the progress made in US-related legislation enforcement operations towards narcotics,” Liu mentioned.
“All these show that the concept of China knowingly permitting fentanyl precursors to circulation into the US runs utterly counter to details and actuality,” Liu mentioned.
There was incremental however seen progress in cooperation over shutting down illicit site visitors in chemical substances used to supply lethal fentanyl after Xi and Biden agreed to renew joint efforts final 12 months.
The US, the place fentanyl abuse has been a major cause of death, has pushed China for harder legislation enforcement, together with tackling illicit finance and clamping additional controls on the chemical substances.
In June, China’s high prosecutor urged its legislation enforcement officers to deal with combating drug trafficking, as Beijing and Washington unveiled a uncommon joint investigation into medication.
In August, days after a gathering of a joint counternarcotics working group, China mentioned it will tighten controls on three chemical substances important for making fentanyl.