As the Donald Trump administration in the United States engages in tariff negotiations, the Chinese government noted that if the U.S. pressures trading partners to impose trade restrictions with China, it will take equivalent countermeasures.

U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet at the G20 Leaders Summit on Finanical Markets and the World Economy held in Osaka, Japan, on Jun. 2019. /Courtesy of AP

The spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce claimed in a statement published on its website on the 21st, in a Q&A format, that "receiving so-called 'exemptions' by harming the interests of others for one's own short-term gains is as foolish as asking a tiger for its skin, and ultimately, it will fail."

He added that "China firmly opposes any country achieving (a) transaction with the U.S. at the expense of China's interests" and that "if such a situation arises, China will never accept it and will take countermeasures on an equal footing. China has the determination and ability to protect its own interests."

Earlier, according to Bloomberg News, the Trump administration was expected to demand that around 70 trading partners limit China's manufacturing capabilities in exchange for tariff negotiations. It was also noted that the Trump administration might consider implementing 'secondary tariffs' on goods imported from certain countries closely related to China.

The spokesperson noted that "China respects that each party resolves economic and trade differences with the U.S. through equal negotiations" and that "China believes that each party should stand on the side of fairness, justice, and historical correctness in the issue of 'reciprocal tariffs' and must uphold international economic and trade rules as well as the multilateral trading system."