US-Chinese trade war: state media defend Beijing

Chinese state media have set a brave front after intensifying the trade war between the country and the United States over the weekend.

The latest round of talks began Friday night in Beijing when the Chinese Finance Ministry announced that it would apply new tariffs ranging from 5% to 10% on 75 billion US goods. of dollars.

In retaliation, US President Donald Trump also said his administration would increase tariffs on Chinese imports worth $ 550 billion.

The state-run Xinhua news agency said Saturday in a comment: "The United States is paying the price of the outbreak of a trade war, China being forced to announce the war. imposition of new additional customs duties on US products ".

"After more than a year of trade friction between the two countries, China has never faltered," said the state press organization.

"When the US side has attempted to intensify commercial harassment and exert maximum pressure on China, this has only strengthened China's resolve, strengthening its stance against bullying." and defending its legitimate rights and interests, "Xinhua added.

In a tweet on Friday, Trump "ordered" companies to look for an alternative to China and urged US companies to start "bringing your business home and making your products in the US."

Xinhua said any discussion of breaking ties between US and Chinese companies was "at best ridiculous".

"Companies in both countries have been ambassadors for positive change in both economies," Xinhua reported.

The China Daily, another state-owned newspaper, said Sunday that "China has never been a trusted man for any country, and it will not be the case now."

"It has become indisputably clear that the tariff war of the (Trump) administration against China is motivated by political reasons," added the newspaper in English. "What Washington wants from its biggest trading partner, is that it's happy to play the second fiddle and do it humbly as it asks."

"But Beijing sees the trade war as an inevitable test by fire, which the country will emerge stronger," said China Daily, spokesman for the Chinese government.

Beijing continues to advocate for the resolution of the trade dispute through dialogue.

According to Trump, China had contacted US trade officials during the night to let them know that they wanted to return to the negotiating table.

Chinese chief negotiator Liu He also said at a technical conference in Chongqing that Beijing was willing to resolve its trade dispute with the United States through serene negotiations and resolutely oppose 39, escalating the conflict, said Reuters citing the morning of Chongqing Post.

By the way, the nationalist Global Times said Sunday in an opinion piece that China was "insensitive to US policies" that were contradictory.

"Thanks to the unthinking maneuvers of the United States, the trade war has escalated continuously between the two sides," said the Global Times.

China has already "made complete psychological preparations for a further deterioration of the trade war and has prepared various material preparations to deal with the situation," the statement said.

– Evelyn Cheng of CNBC contributed to this report.