China Criticizes U.S. for Economic Bullying During Lengthy Trade War
Beijing, April 17, 2025 — In a scathing statement issued on Thursday, the Chinese government accused the United States of engaging in "economic bullying" and "unilateral trade aggression" as tensions between the world's two largest economies rise. The statement, made by the Ministry of Commerce, comes after a new round of U.S. tariffs and sanctions against Chinese technology firms and exports.
Chinese officials called the latest move another indication of Washington's persistent strategy intended to contain the economic rise of China and the growth of global Chinese power. "The United States continues to use tariffs and sanctions as weapons of coercion. This is not fair trade—it is trade tyranny," the statement said.
The U.S.–China trade war, which began in 2018 under the Trump administration, has seen several rounds of tariffs, blacklists, and retaliatory actions by both countries. Although both countries signed a Phase One trade agreement in January 2020, tensions have never actually abated. Under President Biden, the U.S. has continued to be tough on China, particularly on intellectual property rights, national security concerns, and market access.
Washington imposed additional tariffs on Chinese solar panels, semiconductors, and electric vehicles this week due to concerns of unfair subsidies and dumping. In response, China vowed to take "all necessary measures" to safeguard its economic interests, including filing complaints at the World Trade Organization and looking at retaliatory tariffs.
The purported 'national security' that America hides behind is truly a veil of protectionism," a Foreign Ministry spokesperson told Global Times. "Rather than working to mend its own economic ailments, the U.S. prefers to fingerpoint at China and disrupt global value chains.".
Analysts indicate that the new escalation is a symptom of deeper geopolitics beyond trade, such as conflicts over Taiwan, the South China Sea, and global technology competition. Chinese state media repeated the official narrative, blaming the U.S. for undermining multilateralism principles and global economic cooperation.
The U.S. is increasingly standing alone in policy. While it advocates open markets and rules-based order, its practice betrays another agenda—a zero-sum rivalry and Cold War thinking," a commentary in People's Daily, the official paper of the ruling Communist Party, said.
The impact of the trade war has been felt in global markets. American businesses have complained of higher costs due to tariffs, while Chinese exporters are being scrutinized and constrained more and more in Western markets. Bilateral trade volume with the U.S. fell 8.7% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, China's customs bureau latest data showed.
While there has been aggressive rhetoric, Chinese analysts are calling for restraint and further talks. "While we must protect our interests, we should also avoid full decoupling," said Professor Liu Hong, an economist at Renmin University. "Both parties will be losers from a prolonged confrontation."
Foreign players have urged restraint and a return to negotiations. The European Union and other major economies have also expressed concern at the spillover of the trade war into the global economy, especially in a period of fragile economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing geopolitical tensions elsewhere globally.
Chinese leaders, however, reiterated their commitment to opening up the Chinese internal market and deepening economic connections with developing nations and regional powers. Beijing has stepped up efforts to market the Belt and Road Initiative and secured recent new trade agreements with countries in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
We won't be intimidated by external pressure," declared the Ministry of Commerce. "China will continue to grow, innovate, and cooperate—on our terms, with partners who know equality and mutual benefit."
With both sides digging in for what is turning out to be a long strategic fight, hopes for a resolution shrink. In the meantime, the world waits while the trade war between two world powers continues its latest rocky episode.
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