China firmly opposes any deal between the United States and its trading partners at the expense of Chinese interests, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said on Monday (April 21).

If such a situation arises, China will not accept it and will resolutely take corresponding countermeasures, said the spokesperson in a statement, adding that the country has both the resolve and the capability to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.

The spokesperson made the remarks when responding to reports that the United States is preparing to pressure other countries to restrict trade ties with China in exchange for tariff exemptions.

Under the guise of so-called “reciprocity,” the United States has been recently arbitrarily imposing tariffs on all its trading partners while pressuring them to engage in so-called “reciprocal tariff” negotiations, said the spokesperson.

“This is essentially using the banner of ‘reciprocity’ as a pretext to pursue hegemonic politics and unilateral bullying in the field of international economy and trade,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson emphasised that appeasement does not bring peace, compromise does not lead to respect, and attempts to trade the interests of others for tariff exemptions are doomed to fail and will ultimately harm all parties involved.

China respects all parties that seek to resolve their trade disputes with the United States through equal consultation, the spokesperson said, calling on all parties to stand on the side of fairness and justice, align with the right side of history, and uphold international economic and trade rules and the multilateral trading system.

In the face of unilateralism and protectionism, no country can remain unaffected, the spokesperson said. “Once international trade reverts to the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak, all countries will suffer,” the spokesperson added.

China is ready to work with all parties to strengthen solidarity and coordination, jointly oppose unilateral bullying, safeguard respective legitimate rights and interests, and uphold international fairness and justice, the spokesperson said.