The Chinese Embassy in the US responded to tariffs imposed by President Trump over the fentanyl issue by saying that “if war is what the US wants… we’re ready to fight.”

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This comes as the US president recently imposed hefty tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada, a move that sent shockwaves through financial markets globally and drew retaliatory counter-tariffs and other measures from the nations.

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‘A flimsy excuse’

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In a post on X, the Chinese Embassy said, “If the US truly wants to solve the fentanyl issue, then the right thing to do is to consult with China by treating each other as equals.”

“If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end,” the post read.

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The Chinese foreign ministry called the fentanyl issue “a flimsy excuse” for the US to impose tariffs on Chinese imports. In a statement on X, the spokesperson of the ministry said that China’s “countermeasures to defend our rights and interests are fully legitimate and necessary.”

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“The US, not anyone else, is responsible for the #FentanylCrisis inside the US. In the spirit of humanity and goodwill towards the American people, we have taken robust steps to assist the US in dealing with the issue. Instead of recognizing our efforts, the US has sought to smear and shift blame to China, and is seeking to pressure and blackmail China with tariff hikes. They’ve been PUNISHING us for helping them. This is not going to solve the US’s problem and will undermine our counternarcotics dialogue and cooperation,” the spokesperson wrote on the micro-blogging site.

“Intimidation does not scare us. Bullying does not work on us. Pressuring, coercion or threats are not the right way of dealing with China. Anyone using maximum pressure on China is picking the wrong guy and miscalculating. If the US truly wants to solve the fentanyl issue, then the right thing to do is to consult with China by treating each other as equals,” he added.

Also read | How China is targeting US agriculture with retaliatory tariffs as Trump begins trade war

Trump imposed additional 10 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods on Tuesday (Mar 4) in addition to the existing 10 per cent in place. The tariffs imposed on Canada and Mexico also came into effect the same day.

China’s retaliatory measures

China on Tuesday (March 4) responded to tariffs imposed by Trump on Chinese goods by enforcing additional tariffs of 10-15 per cent on a variety of US agricultural imports. The tariffs will come into effect starting next week, China’s finance ministry said.

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US will face 10 per cent tariffs on sorghum, soy beans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products and 15 per cent levies on chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton.

(With inputs from agencies)