The Chinese government has strongly opposed the U.S. administration's decision to impose additional tariffs on 60 countries, including South Korea and China, under the pretext of 'forced labor.'
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce issued a statement on July 27 expressing strong regret over the U.S. tariff imposition.
On July 23, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced final measures to impose so-called 'forced labor tariffs' ranging from 10% to 12.5% on economies worldwide, with a 12.5% tariff rate specifically applied to Chinese products.
This action follows a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that deemed previous tariffs based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) illegal, as well as the expiration of import duties under Section 122 of the Trade Expansion Act.
The ministry's spokesperson stated, 'China has consistently opposed forced labor and has established relevant laws and systems to strictly prevent and crack down on forced labor practices.'
They further asserted, 'The United States has long politicized the issue of forced labor. Imposing unilateral tariffs under this pretext is a typical act of unilateralism and protectionism. China firmly opposes this.'
The Chinese side also referenced past agreements between the two countries, pointing out that the U.S. actions contradict those agreements. The spokesperson claimed, 'The U.S. has repeatedly stated its intention to replace tariffs based on the now-defunct IEEPA and import duties under Section 122 of the Trade Expansion Act with Section 301 tariffs, and it clearly promised that alternative tariffs on Chinese products would not exceed 20% during U.S.-China economic and trade negotiations.'
Additionally, they noted that China's so-called fentanyl tariffs and reciprocal tariffs remain in effect, stating, 'We will closely monitor and comprehensively assess the U.S. follow-up actions and reserve the right to take all necessary measures.'
They urged U.S. authorities to 'correct their erroneous actions and withdraw unilateral tariff measures,' expressing hope for continued dialogue based on mutual respect and equality to address both sides' interests and implement the consensus reached in economic and trade negotiations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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