China on Friday called on the European Union to join hands to resist "unilateral bullying" by the United States, referring to the 145 per cent tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on imported Chinese goods and the 20 per cent tax (suspended for 90 days after the EU retaliated) on goods from the bloc.
China also said it is ready to fight a trade war if the US continues to act "recklessly".
The appeal to the EU - which follows calls for India and China to work together - was made by President Xi Jinping as he met Spain Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing. Mr Xi warned the Spanish leader the EU and China need to cooperate to ride out the looming trade war with the US.
"China and Europe should fulfil their international responsibilities... and jointly resist unilateral bullying practices," the Chinese President said echoing remarks from earlier and stressing this would not only "safeguard legitimate rights and interests... but also safeguard international fairness and justice."
The Spanish Prime Minister - whose nation buys about $50 billion of goods from China every year - said tensions over trade should not impede EU's cooperation with Beijing.
"Spain and Europe have a significant trade deficit with China..." Mr Sanchez admitted, "But we must not let trade tensions stand in the way of the potential growth of our relationships."
"No Winners...", China's Warning
In a separate statement - underlining Beijing's increasingly aggressive stance towards Trump's tariffs - Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said "trade wars have no winners".
"China does not want to fight these wars... but it is not scared. If the US truly wants to resolve issues through dialogue (then) it must stop applying extreme pressure and acting recklessly."
READ | "If War Is What US Wants...": China's Sharp Retort To Trump's Tariffs
"These tactics do not work on China..." the spokesperson said, serving yet another warning to Trump, "If the US insists on a tariff and trade war, China's response will continue to the end."
That was made shortly before Chinese state-run news agency said Beijing had announced another tit-for-tat response - upping tariffs on American imported goods to 125 per cent.
"Meet Halfway"
On Tuesday Beijing urged Washington to meet it "halfway"; China's Commerce Ministry warned that the tariffs risked "severely" impacting the global economy, but stressed "the door to dialogue is open".
READ | China Urges US To Meet 'Halfway' As Trump Ups Tariffs To 125%
"We hope the US will meet China halfway and, based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, properly resolve differences through dialogue and consultation."
That was before Trump proclaimed Xi Jinping to be "a very smart man" and said, "I think he is going to want to make a deal... We will get on a phone call at some point and everything will be ready."
Trump's Taxes On China
Trump's sweeping tariffs - few, if any, countries and territories have been left untouched - have unsettled and roiled the global markets. But the biggest target has been China.
The current 145 per cent levy includes a 20 per cent tax levied earlier this year over Beijing's alleged role in the global fentanyl (a deadly synthetic narcotic) supply chain.
NDTV Explains | Trump's 25% Auto Tariffs. What Are They, Who Is Affected?
And it excludes steel and aluminium imports, as well as autos and auto parts, on each of which Trump has slapped an additional 25 per cent tariffs on under separate regimes.
Beijing responded with high tariffs of its own; on Wednesday it imposed 84 per cent taxes on all imported American goods as it accused the US of "arrogance and bullying behaviour".
The hostile back-and-forth between the US and China has also prompted Beijing, in a rather unprecedented move, to look for support from the global community, including India.
"Make Elephant, Dragon Dance"
In fact, Trump's tariffs seem to be doing what decades of political and diplomatic wrangling could not, at least with any great degree of success - to get India and China to work together.
The tariff war has led Beijing to make conciliatory statements about Delhi; the latest was Tuesday, when the Chinese Embassy called on India and China to "stand together..."
READ | "India, China Relationship Is...": Beijing's Message On Trump Tariffs
"China-India economic and trade relationship is based on mutual benefits. Facing the US' abuse of tariffs, which deprives countries, especially in the 'Global South', of their right to development, the largest developing countries (in the area) should stand together..." Yu Jing, a spokesperson, said on X.
Ms Yu's X post followed a statement by President Jinping himself; on April 1, the Chinese leader told President Droupadi Murmu in Beijing that India and China should work together.
India has not yet responded to this statement, although External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the relationship between the two countries is moving in a "positive direction".
Trump's Tariffs On India
Trump, meanwhile, had announced "discounted" tariffs for India - 'only' 26 per cent - to be added to the baseline 10 per cent for certain goods, such as steel.
READ | Trump Announces 26% "Discounted Reciprocal Tariff" On India
There is also the possibility Trump will throw in additional taxes on import of pharmaceutical goods.
India exported goods worth $89.91 billion to the US in 2024, but this year sectors like seafood and vehicles and auto parts will take a hit.
But, unlike China, India has said it will not 'retaliate' and impose tariffs of its own, even if analysts expect a significant hit to exports to the US, by as much as $5.76 billion, this year.
READ | India To Avoid Retaliation On US Tariffs, Will Instead Focus On...
A government official told Reuters Delhi will focus on a clause that offers a possible reprieve for trading partners who "take significant steps to remedy non-reciprocal trade arrangements".
Sources have said India is open to cutting existing tariffs in cases.
With input from agencies
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