Beijing [China], April 10 (ANI): As U.S. President Donald Trump escalates his trade war with China by imposing a 125 percent tariff on Chinese imports, Beijing has reached out to the European Union (EU) and ASEAN countries in an effort to form a united front and pressure Washington to reverse course.
In response, China has announced “countermeasures,” imposing an 84 percent tariff on U.S. goods effective Thursday. The 27-member European Union bloc also retaliated on Wednesday, approving tariffs of up to 25 percent on select U.S. imports.
According to a statement released today by China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič held a video meeting on Tuesday. They discussed strengthening China-EU economic and trade cooperation and responding to the U.S.’s “reciprocal tariffs,” as reported by Xinhua.
China and the EU are each other’s largest trading partners. During the discussion, Wang condemned the U.S. tariffs as a serious violation of international trade norms, stating they breach World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and destabilize the global economic order. He described the U.S. actions as “unilateralism, protectionism, and economic bullying.”
Wang added that while China is open to resolving disputes through dialogue and negotiation, it will “fight to the end” if the U.S. continues its current approach. China and the EU agreed to begin consultations on market access and initiate negotiations on electric vehicle pricing commitments and bilateral investment cooperation in the auto industry.
On April 8, EU President Ursula von der Leyen and Chinese Premier Li Qiang held a phone call to discuss the state of EU-China relations, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2025. According to an EU readout, von der Leyen stressed the importance of stability and predictability in the global economy amid the disruption caused by U.S. tariffs.
China also reached out to ASEAN. Wang held a video call with Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Malaysia’s Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry and the current ASEAN chair. They had an “in-depth and candid exchange of views” on enhancing China-Malaysia and China-ASEAN economic cooperation and jointly responding to U.S. tariffs, Xinhua reported.
Zafrul emphasized Malaysia’s support for multilateralism and stated that U.S. trade policies contradict WTO principles. He affirmed Malaysia’s readiness to consult with ASEAN members to formulate a collective response to the U.S. tariff measures.
On Thursday, ASEAN released a statement announcing a Special Leaders’ Meeting to determine the bloc’s unified approach. Economic ministers from the 10-member bloc expressed concern over the unilateral tariffs imposed by the U.S. and committed not to impose any retaliatory measures. They emphasized the need for open dialogue and cooperation, calling for a “balanced and sustainable relationship.”
Meanwhile, President Trump on Wednesday announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for nearly 60 countries, including the European Union—but notably excluded China. Instead, tariffs on Chinese imports were raised to 125 percent.
EU President von der Leyen welcomed the pause in a post on X, calling it “an important step towards stabilizing the global economy.” She reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to constructive negotiations with the U.S., aiming for “frictionless and mutually beneficial trade.” (ANI)
About The Author
