China has vowed to “fight to the end” if the US goes ahead with threatened tariff increases, intensifying fears that the world’s two most important economies are set for a hard decoupling.
The commerce ministry on Tuesday said it would further retaliate if US President Donald Trump makes good on his threat to levy an additional 50 per cent tariff on Chinese goods.
“If the US proceeds with implementing these escalated tariff measures, China will resolutely take countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests,” a commerce ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday. “If the US insists on going its own way, China will fight to the end.”