China Blasts U.S. Tariffs, But Holds Fire on Retaliation

China’s Ministry of Commerce has condemned the latest U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, but signaled it will not retaliate immediately. The ministry noted that the new 12.5 percent duty keeps the United States within the ceiling agreed to under the Trump administration’s earlier trade talks. In a statement on Monday, the ministry accused Washington of manipulating the issue of forced labor. It called the Section 301 investigation and the resulting tariffs “a textbook act of unilateralism and protectionism.” Beijing’s measured response suggests it is leaving room for further negotiation, rather than escalating the trade dispute.