China Accuses Trump Of 'Blackmail' After New Tariffs Threat

President Xi Jinping of China

Beijing on Tuesday accused US President Donald Trump of “blackmail” and warned it would retaliate in kind after Trump threatened to impose fresh tariffs on Chinese goods.

Trump said on Monday he had asked the US Trade Representative to target $200 billion worth of imports for a 10 percent levy, citing China’s “unacceptable” move to raise its own tariffs.

He added he would identify an extra $200 billion of goods - for a possible total of $450 billion, or most Chinese imports - “if China increases its tariffs yet again”.

Last week, he announced 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese imports, prompting Beijing to retaliate with matching duties on US goods.

The US leader warned Friday of “additional tariffs” should Beijing hit back with tit-for-tat measures.

China’s commerce ministry immediately responded by saying the US “practice of extreme pressure and blackmail departed from the consensus reached by both sides during multiple negotiations and has also greatly disappointed international society.”




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