 "US aims to 'take away Hong Kong's life': Chinese official on Trump tariffs")
A top Chinese official has strongly criticised the US by describing its tariff war as “extremely shameless.” Xia Baolong, Director of China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office under the State Council, also said that the US aims to “take away Hong Kong’s life” through tariffs.
Baolong asserted that bullying has never worked on the Chinese people, including those from Hong Kong. Highlighting China’s resolve to defend itself, Baolong said that blackmailing China is not the right approach.
“Let those peasants in the US wail before the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation. The Chinese people do not cause trouble, nor are they afraid of trouble. Pressure, threats, and blackmail are not the right way to deal with China,” he said in a televised speech on Hong Kong’s National Security Education Day, reported Reuters.
Earlier this month, US Vice President JD Vance said that America "borrows and buys from 'Chinese peasants'," a comment that triggered a strong backlash in China.
China hikes levies on US goods to 125%
These remarks followed China’s decision to raise import taxes on US goods to 125 per cent, in retaliation to US President Donald Trump increasing tariffs on Chinese goods to 145 per cent.
Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, is also affected by the US tariffs. The US no longer treats Hong Kong as a separate trading entity due to China’s imposition of the national security law. As a result, Hong Kong is now subject to the same tariffs as mainland China.
However, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee stated last week that the city does not plan to retaliate with its own tariffs for the time being. He emphasised that, unlike mainland China, Hong Kong continues to be an international free trade hub.
Trump’s flip-flop on tariffs
Nearly four months into his presidency, Trump has introduced a series of new tariffs that have impacted global trade. In February, he imposed a 25 per cent tax on most goods from Mexico and Canada, citing the need to curb drug trafficking and illegal immigration. By March, the US had added a 25 per cent tariff on all steel and aluminium imports, removing previously granted exemptions for certain countries.
Then on April 2, which Trump dubbed “Liberation Day," he announced a 10 per cent baseline tariff on all imported goods. He also imposed higher tariffs—up to 50 per cent—on products from 57 countries, including Japan. While Japan’s 24 per cent tariff was temporarily paused for 90 days, China received no such concession and was hit with rates as high as 145 per cent.
These decisions sparked global concern. Canada and Mexico accused the US of violating trade agreements, while financial markets declined amid fears of a global trade war.
Simultaneously, the US began investigating semiconductor imports, which were exempted from initial tariffs, potentially paving the way for further tariffs. Many economists warn that these measures could increase consumer prices and potentially trigger a recession if the situation continues to escalate.
[With inputs from Reuters]