Beijing hits back after new tariffs

China will not initiate trade conflicts and is willing to resolve differences through dialogue, while regarding unilateral bullying measures, China will take necessary measures to firmly defend its own rights and interests, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

The ministry made the remarks following Washington's levy of an additional 10 percent tariff on goods imported from China.

The unilateral imposition of tariffs by the United States seriously violates the rules of the World Trade Organization and exacerbates global trade tensions. China is willing to work with relevant countries to firmly advocate for free trade and multilateralism, jointly address the challenges of unilateralism and trade protectionism, and maintain the orderly and stable development of international trade, the ministry said.

"China's countermeasures aren't meant to provoke trade disputes, but to defend national interests and international fairness," said Cui Fan, a professor of international trade at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

"If the US persists in its unilateral actions, China will not hesitate to take more powerful countermeasures. China has the confidence and ability to respond to any challenge and safeguard its own rights, and contribute to the stability of the global economy," Cui said.

Meanwhile, China launched a series of export control policies for rare metal products and related technologies on Tuesday. The ministry said the export control on tungsten and other related items is an international practice. The listed items this time have certain attributes for military and civilian use, and the downstream products boast high military risks.

"The move indicates China's consistent stance of maintaining world peace and regional stability. The Chinese government will approve export applications that comply with regulations," said He Yongqian, a spokeswoman for the commerce ministry.

The ministry also put US clothing company PVH Corp and biotechnology company Illumina Inc on its unreliable entity list on Tuesday. The two firms violate normal market trading principles, interrupt normal transactions with Chinese enterprises, take discriminatory measures against Chinese firms, and seriously damage the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, the ministry said.

"China has always handled export controls and unreliable entity lists with caution. The Chinese government is willing to strengthen cooperation with different countries to jointly maintain the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains. We welcome foreign enterprises to invest and develop in China, and we are committed to providing a stable, fair and predictable business environment for law-abiding and compliant foreign enterprises," she said.

Separately, the US Postal Service announced on Wednesday that it will continue accepting all inbound mail and packages from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, quickly reversing the suspension that went into effect on Tuesday.

In addition, the US government has canceled the "de minimis" tariff exemption rule for small packages and low-value items imported from China — a measure that exempted shipments worth less than $800 from import duties.

The Ministry of Commerce said the US levying of an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese products and the adjustment of its "de minimis" policy will undoubtedly increase the cost of consumption for US shoppers and affect their purchasing experiences.

"No matter how a country adjusts its trade policy, cross-border e-commerce shopping boasts strong competitiveness, and the trend of digital development in international trade will not change. We hope that the US can follow the trend and create a fair and predictable policy environment for the development of cross-border e-commerce," said He.

Wang Keju contributed to this story.