Beijing officials are conducting a comprehensive review of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned numerous tariffs and are calling on Washington to eliminate unilateral trade penalties against its partners, stating that economic conflicts between the nations cause damage to all involved.
China’s Commerce Ministry issued these statements Monday, following the nation’s highest court delivering a significant blow to President Donald Trump by overturning multiple tariffs he implemented during his global trade conflict, including several targeting China.
Hours following the court’s decision, Trump announced plans to implement a new 10% levy on imports from all nations beginning Tuesday, then quickly escalated it to 15% in a decision that appeared to catch some administration officials off guard.
“U.S. unilateral tariffs … violate international trade rules and U.S. domestic law, and are not in the interests of any party,” the Chinese ministry stated.
“Cooperation between China and the United States is beneficial to both sides, but fighting is harmful,” the ministry added.
Trade policy and tariff discussions are anticipated to be central topics for both nations leading up to Trump’s expected visit to China in late March and early April, during which he will hold meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump’s proposed new duties rely on an untested legal provision called Section 122, which permits tariffs up to 15% but requires congressional authorization to continue beyond 150 days. This section has never been used by any previous president, and its implementation may trigger additional legal disputes.
“China will continue to pay close attention to this and firmly safeguard its interests,” the Commerce Ministry declared.
Gao Lingyun, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, was quoted by state-run Global Times describing the U.S. tariff decisions as “highly arbitrary” and being used as a “political weapon.”
“Tariff policy should be based on rigorous assessment, not political preference,” he was quoted as saying.
The Supreme Court’s decision eliminated several tariffs the Trump administration had placed on major Asian exporters including China, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, which serves as the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturer and crucial technology supply chain participant.
South Korea announced it would maintain discussions with the U.S. to preserve a “balance of interests” between the nations, while its industry minister expressed concerns among officials across multiple sectors, including automotive, battery, and semiconductor industries.
“The public and private sector need to work together to secure Korean companies’ export competitiveness and diversify their markets,” Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan stated Monday.
India postponed sending a trade delegation to Washington this week to complete an interim trade agreement, primarily due to new tariff uncertainties from the U.S., according to a trade ministry source.
Under the proposed deal, U.S. tariffs on Indian products would decrease to 18%, while India committed to purchasing $500 billion worth of American goods over five years, including energy supplies, aircraft and components, precious metals, and technology products.
In Europe, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde cautioned about business risks, emphasizing that companies seek predictability rather than legal disputes. She stressed that any new tariff proposals must be clearly outlined to prevent additional challenges and ensure constitutional compliance.
“To sort of shake it up again is going to bring about disruptions,” Lagarde said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
