China has accused the United States of using the fentanyl crisis as a “flimsy excuse” to justify raising tariffs on Chinese imports, with Beijing vowing to “fight till the end” if the US seeks a trade or tariff war.
The remarks came from Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian in response to a question posed by The New York Times regarding the US’s decision to increase tariffs on Chinese goods to 10 percent. Lin stated, “The fentanyl issue is a flimsy excuse to raise US tariffs on Chinese imports. Our countermeasures to defend our rights and interests are fully legitimate and necessary.”
He further emphasized that the US, not China, is responsible for the fentanyl crisis, stating, “In the spirit of humanity and goodwill towards the American people, we have taken robust steps to assist the US in dealing with the issue. Instead of recognizing our efforts, the US has sought to smear and shift blame to China, and is seeking to pressure and blackmail China with tariff hikes. They’ve been PUNISHING us for helping them. This is not going to solve the U.S.’s problem and will undermine our counternarcotics dialogue and cooperation.”
Lin added that intimidation, bullying, and pressure tactics would not work on China. “Intimidation does not scare us. Bullying does not work on us. Pressuring, coercion or threats are not the right way of dealing with China. Anyone using maximum pressure on China is picking the wrong guy and miscalculating. If the US truly wants to solve the fentanyl issue, then the right thing to do is to consult with China by treating each other as equals.”
He concluded by warning that China was ready to “fight till the end” if the US continued its aggressive stance, stating, “If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end.”
This exchange follows the Trump administration’s decision to double tariffs on Chinese imports from 10 to 20 percent, prompting China to retaliate with its own set of tariffs. On Tuesday, China imposed 15 percent tariffs on key US imports, including chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton, and 10 percent tariffs on items like soybeans, pork, and dairy products.
In addition to the tariffs, China added 15 US companies, including drone maker Skydio, to its export control list, limiting Chinese exports of dual-use equipment to these firms. Analysts noted that China’s retaliation was a strategic move designed to target industries that are important to the Trump administration’s base, potentially opening the door for negotiations to avoid even harsher tariffs in the future.