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Top Chinese officials have warned that the United States will fail in its tariff war against China.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, the US initially imposed tariffs on nearly all foreign imports, setting a baseline rate of 10% and hitting certain countries much harder—like the now-confirmed 125% tariff on Chinese goods. In a notable development yesterday, Trump announced a 90-day pause on those steeper tariffs for most other countries (keeping it at 10% across the board), giving countries like Japan, Vietnam, and the EU a chance to strike favorable trade deals. China was the only major exception, with President Trump bumping its tariff from 104% to 125% after they refused to roll back their retaliatory measures. While speaking to the press, Trump argued that the increase was necessary to confront years of unfair trade practices—like intellectual property theft, currency manipulation, and massive export subsidies. Some analysts say this targeted pressure campaign is really about isolating China, slowing its industrial rise, and reworking global supply chains to give American manufacturers a long-term edge.
What’s going on now: In response to President Trump’s 125% tariff, China’s Foreign Ministry said they will not back down, warning that any continued escalation from the United States “will end in failure.” Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “If the US side really wants to talk, it should show an attitude of equality, respect, and reciprocity.” He added, “The US cause doesn’t win the support of the people and will end in failure,” echoing a growing sentiment within China that Washington’s aggressive trade policies are unsustainable and globally unpopular.
China’s Commerce Ministry warned of more retaliatory steps to come on top of the newly implemented 84% tariffs on US imports, export controls on certain rare earth materials, and trade restrictions on 18 US companies. In addition, the Chinese have confirmed a renewed push to strengthen economic ties with other partners like the EU and ASEAN nations.
This all comes as former US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has criticized Trump’s approach, calling it the “worst self-inflicted wound” by any administration in modern US economic history. In an interview with CNN International, Yellen warned that the tariff war is damaging US-China relations and raising the risk of a recession.
She also suggested that recent spikes in Treasury yields may have influenced Trump’s decision to pause tariffs on other nations, describing the broader policy as chaotic and economically reckless. “This kind of instability doesn’t protect American workers—it hurts them,” Yellen said, arguing that these measures could do long-term damage to US global competitiveness.
