China Asserts Strong Commitment to Defend Its Interests Against the United States in Any Conflict

On Wednesday, the Chinese Embassy in Washington expressed that China is prepared to engage in “any type” of conflict with the United States in response to President Donald Trump’s decision to raise trade tariffs on imports from Beijing, as reported by The Independent.

The trade tensions between the two countries heightened on Tuesday, when President Trump increased tariffs on Chinese goods to 20%, prompting China to respond with 15% tariffs on American agricultural products.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., posted on the social media platform X:

“If the United States seeks conflict, whether in the form of a tariff dispute, a trade war, or any other kind of confrontation, we are prepared to stand firm and respond resolutely.”

The embassy representative actually repeated the statement of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, which was published shortly after Trump’s tariffs came into effect.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that China will fight the US to the end if the US insists on waging a tariff, trade or any other war.

Trump justified the additional tariffs on Chinese goods by blaming Beijing for the “fentanyl crisis” in the United States. He claimed that a large percentage of these deadly substances are produced in China.

Trade relations between the United States and China deteriorated sharply during Trump’s first presidency after he announced tariffs on Beijing due to a huge trade surplus in 2018.

In February 2025, following President Trump’s inauguration, the U.S. Department of State shared on its website that the United States is focused on addressing China’s aggressive actions, challenging unfair trade practices, countering harmful cyber activities, and working to halt the global trade in fentanyl precursors originating from China.

China’s assertive actions extend beyond its relationship with the United States. For instance, in early February 2025, a Chinese fighter jet deployed heat traps near an Australian Poseidon aircraft over international waters in the South China Sea. Later, in late February, China issued a warning to the Australian government regarding potential live-fire exercises in international waters between Australia and New Zealand.

In the last few weeks, the latter expressed concern over the signing of a strategic agreement between the Cook Islands and China, which are both self-governing nations in free association with New Zealand.