China's General Administration of Customs urges the U.S. to cancel 'reciprocal tariffs'

(ECNS) -- China's General Administration of Customs (GAC) on Monday called on the United States to cancel its "reciprocal tariffs," urging a return to resolving trade differences through mutual respect and equal dialogue.

Data shows that the essence of China-U.S. economic and trade relations is one of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, which is the result of economic law and has strong endogenous power, said Wang Lingjun, vice minister of the GAC, citing a white paper released by China's State Council Information Office on April 9.

Wang noted that in the first quarter this year, the bilateral trade between China and the U.S. continued to grow, with imports and exports reaching 1.11 trillion yuan, an increase of 4 percent year-on-year, despite of the U.S. government's indiscriminate tariffs.

The U.S. has announced tariffs on all its trading partners under various pretexts, including China, which would inevitably have a negative impact on global trade, including the bilateral trade between the two sides, he said.

Wang stressed that the U.S. is exploiting "reciprocal tariffs" to subvert the existing international economic and trade order, prioritizing its interests above the global common good.

"Its act is economic bullying, which has seriously violated WTO rules, undermined the rules-based multilateral trading system, and gravely threatened the stability of global economic order," the vice minister said.

There is no winner in a trade war and no way out for protectionism, he said, adding that China has resolutely taken countermeasures and will continue working with all parties to jointly oppose U.S. tariff bullying and hegemony, and defend the multilateral trading system and economic globalization.

(By Zhang Dongfang)