By Aminata Kuyateh
In a press briefing yesterday, the Chinese Embassy in Banjul expressed its profound concern over the escalating trade tensions between the United States and China.
This development follows US President Donald Trump’s recent decision to increase tariffs on Chinese imports to a cumulative rate of 145 percent.
This aggressive stance has prompted swift retaliation from Beijing, with Chinese Charge de Affaires in Banjul Zhao Shangsen informing journalists yesterday that China has also moved to raise additional tariffs on all goods imported from the United States to 84 percent.
He said Beijing has further retaliated by adding 18 US entities to China’s export control and unreliable entity lists.
According to the diplomat, China has consistently opposed US “unilateral tariff” measures, advocating for constructive negotiations to address trade imbalances and disputes. Mr Shangsen affirmed they are confident that the vast majority of countries, committed to fairness and justice, will stand on the right side of history and act in the best interest by rejecting Trump’s hegemonistic policies.
“Economic globalisation is the only way to human progress. The world will not, and should not, return to mutual isolation or fragmentation. The whole world aspires for a win-win cooperation. Economic bullying that shifts risks onto others will ultimately backfire. Making economic globalisation more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all is a shared responsibility of the international community,” Mr Shangsen said.
