China to US: ‘If It’s War You Want, We’re Ready to Fight’
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – China has accused the United States of using the fentanyl crisis as a "flimsy excuse" to justify tariff hikes on Chinese imports, warning that if the US seeks a trade war, Beijing is prepared to "fight till the end."
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks on Tuesday in response to a question from The New York Times regarding the US decision to raise tariffs to 10% on most Chinese goods.
"The fentanyl issue is a flimsy excuse to raise US tariffs on Chinese imports. Our countermeasures to defend our rights and interests are fully legitimate and necessary," Lin said.
He asserted that the US itself is responsible for its fentanyl crisis. "In the spirit of humanity and goodwill towards the American people, we have taken robust steps to assist the US in dealing with the issue. Instead of recognizing our efforts, the US has sought to smear and shift blame to China and is seeking to pressure and blackmail China with tariff hikes. They've been punishing us for helping them. This is not going to solve the US's problem and will undermine our counternarcotics dialogue and cooperation," he added.
Lin further condemned US tactics, stating, "Intimidation does not scare us. Bullying does not work on us. Pressuring, coercion, or threats are not the right way of dealing with China. Anyone using maximum pressure on China is picking the wrong guy and miscalculating. If the US truly wants to solve the fentanyl issue, then the right thing to do is to consult with China by treating each other as equals."
He concluded, "If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end."
The remarks follow the Trump administration’s decision to double tariffs on all Chinese imports from 10% to 20%, according to CNN.
China responded on Tuesday by imposing 15% tariffs on US chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton imports, the State Council Tariff Commission announced. Additionally, a 10% tariff was applied to sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.
Separately, China’s Ministry of Commerce added 15 US companies, including drone manufacturer Skydio, to its export control list, restricting Chinese firms from supplying dual-use equipment to them, CNN reported.
Alfredo Montufar-Helu, head of the China Center for the Conference Board, described China’s retaliation as a "restrained, targeted approach" designed to inflict economic pain on key industries supporting the Trump administration. He suggested that Beijing’s measured response leaves room for negotiations to prevent further escalation.
