China opposes all forms of unilateral tariff measures: commerce ministry

BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- China has consistently opposed all forms of unilateral tariff measures, and urged the United States to revoke its existing unilateral tariffs and refrain from imposing additional ones, the Ministry of Commerce said on Tuesday.

A ministry spokesperson made the remarks in response to a media inquiry on recent U.S. tariff moves. On Tuesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection suspended the collection of additional duties under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Meanwhile, it began levying an import surcharge on all trading partners under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.

China is monitoring the situation closely and will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the measures taken by the United States, the ministry said.

Any adjustments to China's countermeasures, including those related to U.S.-imposed fentanyl tariffs or reciprocal duties, will be made in a timely manner in light of any developments, the spokesperson said. "China reserves the right to take all necessary steps to firmly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests."

Experience has repeatedly shown that cooperation between China and the United States benefits both countries, while confrontation harms both, and China stands ready to hold candid consultations with the U.S. side during the upcoming round of China-U.S. economic and trade consultations, the ministry said.

The spokesperson expressed China's hope that the U.S. will work with it to uphold the consensus that their two heads of state reached both at their 2025 meeting in Busan and during their recent phone talks on Feb. 4. It was also noted that the two countries should address each other's concerns on the basis of mutual respect and equal consultation, manage their differences properly, and maintain the sound, stable, sustainable development of China-U.S. economic and trade relations.