China is making it clear: any country that partners with the U.S. at Beijing’s expense will face consequences.
On Monday, Chinese officials slammed nations entering trade deals with the United States amid the ongoing tariff war, accusing them of “appeasing” Washington and warning that such actions won’t go unanswered. The fiery comments came as the U.S. continues its aggressive trade strategy, hitting Chinese goods with tariffs as high as 145%, far above the 10% rates applied to many other countries. In retaliation, China has slapped U.S. products with duties of up to 125%.
At the same time, several U.S. trading partners — including South Korea, Japan, and India — are pushing forward with talks to ease their own tariff burdens. This has clearly struck a nerve in Beijing.
South Korea’s top finance and trade officials are in Washington this week for high-level discussions, hoping to protect major exporters like Samsung and Hyundai from further U.S. tariffs. Meanwhile, Japan is also deep in talks with the White House.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba recently said that negotiations between Tokyo and Washington could set an example for other nations. He emphasized that while Japan isn’t rushing the process, any deal must protect Japanese standards — especially in areas like car safety and agriculture. There’s speculation that Japan may offer to buy more American soybeans and rice to win favor, but Ishiba made it clear that national interests come first.
India is also stepping up its economic dialogue with the U.S., as Vice President JD Vance begins a four-day visit to New Delhi aimed at hammering out a trade agreement.
In a sharp warning, China’s Commerce Ministry blasted any country trying to “score short-term gains” by cozying up to the U.S. at China’s expense.
“Appeasement won’t bring peace, and compromise won’t earn respect,” said a ministry spokesperson. “If any nation makes a deal that hurts China’s interests, we will not sit idly by. There will be firm and proportional countermeasures.”
The message was loud and clear: if you’re making side deals with Washington, prepare for fallout from Beijing.
Despite the fiery rhetoric, both sides are still leaving the door open for negotiation. Former President Donald Trump (who remains a central figure in U.S. trade discussions) told reporters last week that talks with China are ongoing. “I think we’re going to make a very good deal,” he said confidently.
China has been more reserved, only stating that it’s open to dialogue — but also warning against what it calls “trade bullying.” Speaking alongside Indonesia’s foreign minister, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi called for “mutual benefit and win-win cooperation” while denouncing the U.S.’s use of unilateral tariffs.
As part of its latest trade measures, the U.S. has lowered the threshold for tax-free imports — dropping it from $2,500 to $800. This move seems aimed directly at popular Chinese e-commerce giants like Temu and Shein, which ship millions of small packages to American consumers.
In response, global shipping firm DHL announced it would temporarily halt shipments of business parcels over $800 to U.S. customers, adding another wrinkle to an already complex trade war.
As the U.S. ramps up pressure on China, and other countries angle for better deals with Washington, China is drawing a hard line. If you’re a country that backs the U.S. at Beijing’s expense, expect retaliation. The global trade landscape just got even more tense.
