Chinese official ridicules 'US peasants' in comment on tariff dispute
Washington's tariff actions will ultimately have negative consequences for itself, according to Xia Baolong. A high-ranking Chinese official has criticized US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Hong Kong, describing them as “extremely arrogant...
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Washington's tariff actions will ultimately have negative consequences for itself, according to Xia Baolong.
A high-ranking Chinese official has criticized US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Hong Kong, describing them as “extremely arrogant and shameless.” Xia, who serves as the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, remarked that “the US peasants” would “wail before the 5,000-year-old civilization.”
Xia’s statement adds to the ongoing exchange of harsh words between the US and China. This follows Vice President J. D. Vance's earlier observation that the US borrows from “Chinese peasants to buy things those Chinese peasants manufacture.” China responded to Vance's comment by labeling it “ignorant and disrespectful.”
In a televised speech on Tuesday, Xia denounced Trump's choice to implement heavy tariffs on Hong Kong, despite it being “the largest source of the US trade surplus.” He stated, “The US isn’t after our tariffs but our very survival,” adding that “the US has repeatedly contained and suppressed Hong Kong … and this will eventually backfire on itself.”
Xia further asserted that coercive tactics have never succeeded against the Chinese population, including those residing in Hong Kong. He emphasized, “Pressure, threats and blackmail are not the right way to deal with China.” He reiterated his earlier sentiment that “let those peasants in the United States wail in front of the 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.”
Supporting Xia’s claims, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian addressed reporters on Wednesday. He stated, “If the United States really wants to solve the problem through dialogue and negotiation, it should give up the extreme pressure, stop threatening and blackmailing.”
The ongoing tariff dispute with China occurs within the context of a wider US effort aimed at multiple countries. Although many elevated tariffs were temporarily suspended for 90 days, China was not granted the same reprieve. As a result, the total tariff on Chinese goods has surged to 145%. In retaliation, China has implemented 125% tariffs on American imports and imposed restrictions on the export of minerals crucial for high-tech manufacturing.
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
A high-ranking Chinese official has criticized US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Hong Kong, describing them as “extremely arrogant and shameless.” Xia, who serves as the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, remarked that “the US peasants” would “wail before the 5,000-year-old civilization.”
Xia’s statement adds to the ongoing exchange of harsh words between the US and China. This follows Vice President J. D. Vance's earlier observation that the US borrows from “Chinese peasants to buy things those Chinese peasants manufacture.” China responded to Vance's comment by labeling it “ignorant and disrespectful.”
In a televised speech on Tuesday, Xia denounced Trump's choice to implement heavy tariffs on Hong Kong, despite it being “the largest source of the US trade surplus.” He stated, “The US isn’t after our tariffs but our very survival,” adding that “the US has repeatedly contained and suppressed Hong Kong … and this will eventually backfire on itself.”
Xia further asserted that coercive tactics have never succeeded against the Chinese population, including those residing in Hong Kong. He emphasized, “Pressure, threats and blackmail are not the right way to deal with China.” He reiterated his earlier sentiment that “let those peasants in the United States wail in front of the 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.”
Supporting Xia’s claims, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian addressed reporters on Wednesday. He stated, “If the United States really wants to solve the problem through dialogue and negotiation, it should give up the extreme pressure, stop threatening and blackmailing.”
The ongoing tariff dispute with China occurs within the context of a wider US effort aimed at multiple countries. Although many elevated tariffs were temporarily suspended for 90 days, China was not granted the same reprieve. As a result, the total tariff on Chinese goods has surged to 145%. In retaliation, China has implemented 125% tariffs on American imports and imposed restrictions on the export of minerals crucial for high-tech manufacturing.
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
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