The imposition of tariffs by President Trump on imported goods from China has been raised from 10% to 20%. A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has threatened to be prepared to engage in any type of war with the United States. On March 5th, U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth responded, saying, “Those who desire peace must prepare for war.” The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs later stated on March 6th that whether it is a tariff war, trade war, cold war, or hot war, “they cannot fight and cannot win.”
On March 4th, President Trump once again implemented a 10% tariff increase on goods imported from China. In response to the United States imposing an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian stated on March 4th that if the U.S. has ulterior motives and insists on initiating a tariff war, trade war, or any other war, China will stand firm.
China also announced several retaliatory measures, declaring a 10% to 15% tariff increase on a range of American agricultural products and food imports, and imposed export and investment restrictions on 25 U.S. companies citing national security concerns.
On March 5th, U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth stated on a Fox News program that the U.S. is not seeking war with China but is rebuilding its military and preparing for conflict. He emphasized the importance of peace-loving individuals being prepared for war, stating, “That’s why we are rebuilding the military and re-establishing deterrence. If we want to deter China or any other country from going to war with the U.S., we must remain strong.”
Hegseth continued, “We live in a dangerous world with powerful countries with vastly different ideologies.” At a routine press conference on March 6th, a reporter asked the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comments on Hegseth’s remarks about the U.S. not seeking war with China but preparing for war under President Trump’s leadership. Spokesperson Lin Jian suddenly changed his tone from previous defiance to accusing U.S. officials of deliberately stoking ideological confrontation and “provoking threats against China.”
He further stated that China’s position is clear and consistent, asserting that “whether it is a tariff war, trade war, cold war, or hot war, they cannot fight and cannot win.” In response to Lin Jian’s change in stance, political commentator Yue Shan remarked that the Chinese Communist Party has always been bullying the weak and fearing the strong, but this time they have learned the strength of the Trump team. He suggested that Lin Jian’s change in tone may be due to facing internal criticisms for his previous strong language, including discontent from the military. There is a faction within the Chinese military that does not want war, and it is said there have been conflicts between the military and the “wolf warrior” diplomats in the past. If the U.S. does take a tough stance against China, it could exacerbate internal divisions within the CCP.
On August 9, 2021, the South China Morning Post cited an insider from the CCP, reporting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense have engaged in hidden conflicts over their rhetoric styles. While the Foreign Ministry is quick to engage in verbal sparring internationally and garner numerous enemies, the Chinese military is reluctant to engage in combat when democratic nations become enraged by the “wolf warriors,” bringing China to the brink of war with multiple countries.