ZCZC
BCN-35
CHINA-US-TRADE-MOFA
Chinese retaliatory measures on US already in effect: ministry
BEIJING, July 6, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – China said Friday it had already imposed
retaliatory measures on US goods, moving immediately after Washington
implemented tariffs on Chinese goods at the stroke of midnight.
“After the US activated its tariff measures against China, China’s
measures against the US took effect immediately,” said Lu Kang, spokesman for
the foreign ministry.
Lu declined to give precise details but the commerce ministry had
previously released a list that matched Washington’s $34 billion dollar for
dollar.
“We never wanted to see the escalation of trade frictions into a trade
war. A trade war is the last thing we want to see, because we said many times
that no one will benefit from a trade war,” said Lu.
“Bullying and threatening will lead to nowhere. Our position remains
consistent and very clear.”
China’s commerce ministry earlier Friday accused the US of launching the
“largest trade war in economic history,” saying it could trigger “global
market turmoil”.
Friday’s tariffs could mark the opening skirmishes of an escalating tit-
for-tat trade war, as Trump has vowed to impose duties on as much as $450
billion in Chinese goods — the vast majority of all of China’s exports to
the US.
BSS/AFP/HR/1410