China urges India to unite against Trump tariff ‘abuse’
Beijing calls on Delhi to resist US tariff hikes, stresses trade ties, multilateralism, and Global South solidarity amid escalating Trump-led trade war
As the US-China trade war deepens under Donald Trump’s second term, Beijing has reached out to India, urging both nations to stand united against what it calls Washington’s “abuse of tariffs”.
Yu Jing, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India, posted on X (formerly Twitter), underscoring the strength of China’s economy and its role in global growth.
She described the China-India economic relationship as “complementary and mutually beneficial” and said both nations must join forces to protect their right to development, especially as leading voices of the Global South.
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Trade war escalates
Tensions surged after Trump imposed a steep tariff hike, pushing total US duties on Chinese goods to 104%.
Trump initially imposed an additional 34 percent tariff on Chinese imports. In retaliation, Beijing levied an equivalent 34 percent duty on U.S. goods.
In response, Trump escalated the trade war by vowing to implement a further 50 percent tariff, unless Beijing backed down.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce declared it would “fight till the end” if the US persisted, labelling Trump’s tariff policy “a mistake on top of a mistake”.
Meanwhile, Beijing took steps to calm investor concerns by easing control over the yuan to support exports and pledging additional loans to stabilise the market amid a steepest decline in Chinese stocks listed in Hong Kong.
India’s calculated silence
While countries like China and Canada openly opposed the US tariff surge, New Delhi has largely maintained diplomatic restraint.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and discussed the bilateral trade relations.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump had agreed to conclude a partial trade deal by fall 2025.
India has reportedly conveyed a willingness to Washington DC to slash tariffs on 55% of US exports to ease tensions.
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Call for multilateralism
“Trade and tariff wars have no winners,” Yu Jing asserted. She called for all nations to uphold “true multilateralism,” reject protectionism, and support World Trade Organization (WTO-led global trade norms.
Beijing’s overture to New Delhi signals a strategic pivot, as China positions itself as a partner to India in safeguarding fair trade in an increasingly divided global economy.