China slams U.S. for new tariffs, ‘bad behavior’ that loom over trade talks

Sept. 18 (UPI) — The trade war between the United States and China again escalated Tuesday, as Beijing answered President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on $200 billion worth of imports.

The Chinese government pledged to counter the U.S. tariffs, which were announced Monday at 10 percent and will take effect next week. The U.S. administration said it will rise to 25 percent in January.

Tuesday, China promised it would take “synchronized counter measures” to up the ante in the latest trade dispute.

Beijing’s Ministry of Commerce criticized the United States and warned of “possible negative consequences” from “bad behavior.”

“We feel deeply regretful over the decision,” a ministry spokesperson said Tuesday. “China will be forced to take synchronous countermeasures to safeguard our legitimate rights and interests as well as the global free trade order.

“[We] hope that the U.S. side recognizes the potentially harmful consequences of such an action and timely rectify the situation with convincing means.”

Chinese officials didn’t detail the specifics of any retaliatory measures, or indicate when they would be announced.

The new tariffs could also sidetrack trade talks in Washington, D.C., that are set for next week between U.S. and Chinese officials. Both sides had hoped to resolve the months-long conflict at the summit.

The South China Morning Post cited a source Tuesday who said Trump’s new tariffs Monday will “likely” scuttle next week’s talks.

The government source said Beijing is reconsidering the plans to send Vice-Premier Liu He to the United States.

“If the vice-premier does go to the U.S., we can reasonably suspect he has a reasonable offer, but at this point, I would think the likelihood is low,” a U.S. business representative in Beijing told the Morning Post.

Trump also warned China against responding with “retaliatory action against our farmers or other industries.” Such action, he said, would draw even more tariffs for $267 billion worth of imports that would effectively tax almost all Chinese imports.