In response to a reporter question on White House statement claiming that China now faces tariffs of up to 245 percent on imports to the US, China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that "We have noticed relevant report. As for how the figure comes out, you can ask the US side for the specific tax rate figures."
China has stated that the excessively high tariffs on China has degenerated into a "numbers game," which no longer has any practical economic significance, the FM said. It only further exposes the US tricks of using tariffs as a tool and weapon for bullying and coercion.
Tariff and trade wars have no winner. China does not want to fight these wars but is not afraid of them. If the US continues its tariff "numbers game", China will ignore it, the statement said.
If the US insists on continuing to substantively infringe upon China's rights and interests, China's response will continue to the end, it said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday held talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. The two leaders agreed to build an all-weather community with shared future in a new era and designated 2025 China-Cambodia Year of Tourism, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
The leaders of China, Cambodia also witnessed the exchange of more than 30 bilateral cooperation documents.
Xi said China will open its mega-market to Cambodia, import more high-quality Cambodian agricultural products. He also said China, Cambodia will take stronger, more effective measures to resolutely crack down on online gambling, telecom fraud, Xinhua reported.
President Xi also met with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Cambodian People's Party President and Senate President Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Thursday.
Xi said China and Cambodia set a model for equality, mutual trust and win-win cooperation between countries of different sizes during his meeting with the Cambodian King, adding that he believes Chinese modernization will bring more opportunities to neighboring countries including Cambodia.
During his meeting with Hun Sen, Xi said that unilateralism and hegemonism receive no support of the people, and trade wars undermine the multilateral trading system and disrupt global economic order.
Xi also urged all countries to unite and firmly keep the reins of national security and development in their own hands, adding that China will maintain the continuity and stability of its neighborhood diplomacy.
Xi arrived in Phnom Penh earlier on Thursday for a state visit to Cambodia, his second visit to the country in nine years. Cambodia is the third leg of Xi's three-nation Southeast Asia tour after concluding successful state visits in Vietnam and Malaysia.
Xi said China takes Cambodia as a priority in neighborhood diplomacy, and firmly supports Cambodia upholding strategic independence and following a development path suited to its national conditions.
Xi was warmly welcomed by King Sihamoni, Hun Sen and other senior officials at the airport during a grand welcome ceremony held by the king.
Large enthusiastic crowds lined up neatly at the airport to warmly welcome President Xi.
"We love China!" said Cambodian girls dressed in traditional white and red attire, standing among the welcoming crowds. They held golden cups filled with jasmine petals - a unique Cambodian tradition for receiving the country's most distinguished guests, the Global Times learned.
Cambodian media also expressed a positive and welcoming attitude toward the leader's visit. The Khmer Times said Xi's "landmark visit" is expected to "further cement the historical bonds of friendship and cooperation nurtured by successive leaders of both countries."
Jian Hua Daily said Xi's visit is an important manifestation of the traditional friendly relations between the two countries, and it will further promote bilateral cooperation in various fields to a new level.
Enriched dimensions
Lu Guangsheng, a professor at Yunnan University's Institute of International Relations, told the Global Times that President Xi's visit has continued and strengthened the traditional friendly and cooperative relationship between China and Cambodia, further enriching the already close strategic partnership between China and Cambodia.
The further deepening of practical cooperation between the two countries holds landmark significance in promoting the substantive and thorough implementation of Belt and Road Initiative projects in Southeast Asia, Lu said.
In a recent interview with Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin said China has been Cambodia's largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years. And in 2024, two-way trade reached $17.83 billion, up by 20.7 percent year-on-year.
China has remained Cambodia's largest source of foreign investment for 13 consecutive years, with investments spanning a wide range of sectors, including transportation, power, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, special economic zones, as well as information and communications technology, characterized by extensive coverage, large scale and strong results, said Wang.
Kin Phea, director general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, told the Global Times that Xi's visit will further strengthen political trust and reinforce China-Cambodia shared vision for common development.
He said that the "ironclad friendship" between China and Cambodia has consistently delivered results, even amid global uncertainties.
"It [The visit] is a powerful driver to elevate our already strong ties, ensuring long-term peace, stability, prosperity, and friendship for both nations and the broader region," he said.
Ties withstand the test
Noting that bilateral ties were forged and nurtured by the elder generations of leaders of the two countries, Xi said in a written statement upon his arrival in Phnom Penh that China-Cambodia relations have withstood the test of global transformations, and always remained rock-solid.
China and Cambodia have supported each other in maintaining stability and promoting development and prosperity, and worked together in upholding international fairness and justice, setting an example for a new type of international relations while contributing to building a community with a shared future for mankind, he added.
Together we must stand against hegemonism, power politics and camp-based confrontation, and defend the shared interests of our two countries and other developing countries, Xi said in a signed article titled "Together We Strive, Together We Thrive: Toward a Stable and Sustainable China-Cambodia Community with a Shared Future in the New Era" published Thursday in Cambodian media outlets Khmer Times, Jian Hua Daily and Fresh News ahead of his arrival in Cambodia, according to Xinhua.
We should advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, endeavor to safeguard world peace and stability and international fairness and justice, jointly oppose protectionism, and defend an international environment of openness and cooperation, Xi noted.
"Cambodia-China's special and unbreakable ties are a 'unique role model' of interstate relations … Joint efforts in diplomacy, trade, and security enhance peace and prosperity, while close coordination on global platforms strengthens multilateralism," Kin Phea said.
Cambodia greatly values this partnership, which contributes not only to our national development but also to regional harmony. The enduring strength of our ties demonstrates the power of genuine friendship based on equality, respect, and mutual support, the Cambodian expert added.
At a time when the world is facing rising uncertainty, there is no doubt that the deepening cooperation between China and Cambodia represents a kind of certainty amid turbulence, Lu Guangsheng said. "It also serves as a role model for the development of relations among regional countries."
Moreover, against the backdrop of the US using tariffs and economic pressure as tools of strategic coercion, President Xi's state visits demonstrate confidence in countering coercion and hegemony through cooperation - both bilaterally and within the region - with Southeast Asian countries, Lu said.
The anti-China rhetoric of some individual British politicians is extremely absurd, reflecting their arrogance, ignorance, and twisted mindset, a spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in the UK said on Wednesday, in response to various comments in the UK regarding the government’s takeover of British Steel, during which several politicians took the opportunity to attack all Chinese companies and the Chinese government.
The spokesperson shared a few basic facts. The Jingye Group is a private Chinese enterprise that makes business investments in the UK on the basis of market principles and conducts operation on its own, said the spokesperson, according to a release posted on the website of the Chinese Embassy in the UK.
It is well-known that British Steel had been losing money for many years before its acquisition by Jingye in 2020 and actually went into compulsory liquidation in 2019. After taking over, Jingye put in substantial funding to keep the company afloat to this day. Had it not been for the involvement of this Chinese company, British Steel workers might have already faced the risk of unemployment, the spokesperson noted.
It is understood that under the UK government’s net zero strategy, steel companies that use iron ore to make steel must achieve net zero emissions by 2035. To that end, British steel companies including British Steel have all negotiated with the government to find a path to decarbonisation transition. Among them, the Port Talbot Steelworks in Wales closed its blast furnace in July 2024. British Steel’s plan to close its blast furnaces and build electric arc furnaces is a normal decision, and it is understandable that the company conducted negotiations with the government on investment for the transition, the spokesperson said.
Generally speaking, Chinese companies in the UK have operated in compliance with law and achieved steady progress. They have made positive contributions to the local economy. According to statistics available, Chinese companies in the UK have contributed over 115 billion pounds ($152.6 billion) to the UK economy and created nearly 60,000 jobs, the spokesperson said.
At a time when the US is wielding the tariff stick against all countries, the UK included, and engaging in unilateral and protectionist trade bullying, those British politicians just keep slandering the Chinese government and Chinese enterprises instead of criticizing the United States. What on earth are they up to, the spokesperson said.
Any words or deeds that politicise or maliciously hype up business issues will undermine the confidence of Chinese business investors in the UK and damage China-UK economic and trade cooperation. We urge the British government to follow the principles of fairness, impartiality and non-discrimination and to make sure that the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies in the UK are protected. At the same time, it is hoped that the British government will continue to engage in consultations and negotiations with Jingye to actively seek a solution acceptable to all parties. We will continue to follow the development of this situation, the spokesperson said.
On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that “As for the current difficulties arising in the operation of British Steel, the two sides should resolve them through consultations in the principle of mutual benefit.”
“We hope that the British government will treat Chinese companies investing and operating in the UK in a fair and just manner, protect their legitimate rights and interests, and refrain from turning economic and trade cooperation into political and security issues lest it should undermine the confidence of Chinese companies in their normal investment and operation in the UK,” said Lin.
When asked about Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's visit to China while the trade war between China and the US is still ongoing, and what role China thinks Spain and the EU can play in easing this tension and strengthening economic ties with Asia, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that the phone call between Chinese Premier Li Qiang and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen yesterday sent a positive message to the outside world. China and the EU are both advocates of economic globalization and trade liberalization, as well as firm defenders and supporters of the WTO.
Lin said the two sides should work together to safeguard free and open trade and investment, maintain a stable and smooth global industrial and supply chain, and inject more stability and certainty into both sides and the world economy. Spain is an important economy of the EU and an important partner of China in the EU. Maintaining strategic stability in China-Spain relations and adhering to openness, cooperation, mutual benefit, and win-win results will play a positive role in the continued development of China-Europe relations, Lin noted.
The second batch of emergency humanitarian aid supplies dispatched by the Chinese government arrived at Yangon International Airport in Myanmar on Thursday.
The second batch of aid supplies includes 800 tents, 2,000 blankets, 3,000 boxes of biscuits, 2,000 boxes of mineral water and other urgently needed supplies. The supplies were transported to Yangon by a chartered flight from China.
The first batch of emergency humanitarian aid supplies dispatched by the Chinese government for earthquake disaster relief arrived in Myanmar on March 31.
Li Ming, spokesperson for China International Development Cooperation Agency, said that China is willing to continue providing assistance to the people in the disaster-stricken areas based on Myanmar's needs, supporting their efforts to overcome the disaster as soon as possible.
He expressed confidence that with the joint efforts of China and the international community, the people of Myanmar will surely be able to overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes at an early date.
Following the earthquake in central Myanmar, the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar said that it has been using a Chinese-Myanmar-English translation system developed on the DeepSeek platform to support earthquake relief efforts, according to CCTV News.
The system was developed in just seven hours by a language service team formed by the Secretariat of the National Language Service Corps of China and Beijing Language and Culture University. So far, more than 700 people in Myanmar have used the platform to assist communication during the emergency, according to the report.
The National Language Service Corps of China is a public-service alliance established under the guidance of the Ministry of Education, the National Language Commission, the Ministry of Emergency Management, and other agencies. Its mission is to provide language support during public emergencies and other key national tasks, helping to overcome communication barriers.
The deployment of this language technology in international disaster relief demonstrates the unique value of language services in advancing the building
