China pledged on Tuesday to "fight to the end" against U.S. tariffs as some citizens railed against President Donald Trump after he singled out Beijing for further levies – potentially bringing it above 100% – and setting the stage for a standoff between the world's two largest economies.
If Trump sticks to his plan for an additional 50% tariff on China unless it withdraws its retaliatory levies on the U.S., total new U.S. duties on Chinese goods this year could rise to 104% by Wednesday.
With global supply chains in jeopardy, Beijing is under pressure to respond ahead of a meeting between President Xi Jinping and Spain's prime minister and a tour of Southeast Asia.
But with Trump's previous tariff increases already squeezing Chinese exporters' margins to the point of suffocation, further hikes would only serve to underscore Washington's appetite for brinkmanship and its desire to cut China out of the world's biggest consumer market as a matter of principle, analysts say.
"The U.S. side's threat to escalate tariffs against China is a mistake on top of a mistake, once again exposing the American side's blackmailing nature," the commerce ministry said in a statement.
"If the U.S. insists on having its way, China will fight to the end."
Trump said he would impose an additional 50% duty on U.S. imports from China on Wednesday if Beijing did not withdraw the 34% tariffs that were imposed on U.S. products last week.
The Chinese levies had come in response to "reciprocal" duties of 34% announced by Trump, on top of tariffs of 20% imposed earlier this year, lifting to 76% the average U.S. tariff on Chinese goods.
"If the tariffs keep going up and up, it becomes a battle of wills and principles rather than economics," said Xu Tianchen, senior economist for China at the Economist Intelligence Unit.
"Since China already faces a tariff rate in excess of 60%, it doesn't matter if it goes up by 50% or 500%," he added.
China has stepped up efforts to shield its economy from global market turmoil following Trump's announcement.
Several state holding companies have committed to increasing share investment, a slew of listed companies unveiled buybacks and the central bank pledged liquidity support for the fund Central Huijin after it intervened to support sinking stocks.
But there is no escaping the fact that Trump's affinity for tariffs risks derailing China's largely export-led economic recovery that followed the end of the COVID-19 pandemic unless exporters can pivot quickly to other markets.
China's foreign ministry also called out the U.S. for a lack of sincerity regarding serious dialogue.
"If the U.S. truly wants to talk, it should adopt an attitude of equality, respect and mutual benefit," ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a regular news conference on Tuesday.
The Chinese people "do not provoke trouble, nor are we afraid of it," Lin said, warning that China will continue to take firm measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.
Trump's tariffs will be felt particularly keenly as they target the two main strategies Chinese exporters have used to blunt the impact of the trade war: shifting some production abroad and boosting sales to non-U.S. markets.
Ordinary people have also started to voice opposition, accusing the tariff-touting president of wanting to suppress the U.S.' rival.
"The tariffs on China were set too high, too high and ordinary Chinese people just can't accept that," said Qi Xiushun, a 58-year-old resident of the commercial hub of Shanghai.
"(The tariffs) are suppressing China's economic development; these tariffs were mainly pushed by Trump, right?"
Dan Wang, a China expert at Eurasia Group, said Trump had effectively already wiped out Chinese exporters' profits once U.S. import duties passed the 35% mark.
"After that, China shouldn't export to the U.S. at all. It could be 1,000%, but since there is no trade, there is no harm."
"Europe is and will be the most profitable market for China now," she added.
Xi is expected to meet Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday, with the agenda likely to cover finding a resolution to trade tension with Brussels over China's electric vehicle exports, as well as Trump's broader tariff onslaught.
The Chinese leader will then visit Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia, three economies that gained from relocation by Chinese manufacturers to avoid U.S. sanctions during Trump's first term, but now face steep levies of their own.
"I think (Trump's) targeting us, targeting China," said Wu Xing, a 34-year-old salesperson from Shanghai, adding that she expected the tariffs would have a big impact on her.
"As for the U.S., I think it's targeting the whole world."
