China vows retaliation against countries that follow U.S. calls to isolate Beijing

As the ongoing trade war between the United States and China shows no signs of abating, Beijing has issued a stern warning to countries considering aligning themselves with Washington's efforts to isolate China. In a statement released on Monday, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce made it clear that any country that compromises China's interests will face severe retaliation.

The ministry's warning comes as the Trump administration reportedly plans to use tariff negotiations as leverage to pressure US partners to limit their dealings with China. The US has already imposed significant tariffs on Chinese goods, hiking duties to 145% this month. However, Trump has temporarily paused major tariff increases on other countries for 90 days.

China is adamant that it will not accept any deal that comes at the expense of its interests, and will take reciprocal countermeasures if necessary. The ministry's statement emphasized the risk of international trade returning to a "law of the jungle" scenario, where countries are forced to fend for themselves in a chaotic and unpredictable global market.

China's rhetoric has taken on a more defensive tone in recent days, with the ministry describing the US actions as "abusing tariffs" and "unilateral bullying." The statement also sought to portray China as a champion of international fairness and justice, willing to work with all parties to find a solution to the trade impasse.

The warning from Beijing is likely to be seen as a shot across the bow for countries that have close economic ties with both the US and China. It remains to be seen how countries will respond to the Chinese threat, but one thing is clear: the trade war between the US and China is increasingly taking on a global dimension, with far-reaching implications for international trade and commerce.