China's Ministry of Commerce said on Monday it is undertaking a "full assessment" of the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling on tariffs and called on Washington to remove "relevant unilateral tariff measures" imposed on its trading partners.
The ministry's statement followed a high court decision that it said struck down many of the tariffs that had been central to an extended U.S. trade campaign, including some measures that targeted China. Within hours of that ruling, President Donald Trump announced a new 10% duty on imports into the United States from all countries effective the following Tuesday; that levy was later increased to 15% on Saturday.
In its statement, the ministry criticized the U.S. approach to tariffs, saying, "U.S. unilateral tariffs ... violate international trade rules and U.S. domestic law, and are not in the interests of any party." It added that Beijing had taken note of U.S. plans to preserve tariff protections for trading partners through alternative mechanisms such as trade investigations.
"China will continue to pay close attention to this and firmly safeguard its interests," the ministry said, indicating that it is monitoring developments and standing ready to respond to measures that affect its trade position.
The ministry's comments come ahead of a scheduled trip by President Trump to China from March 31 to April 2, a much-anticipated meeting between the leaders of the two largest economies.
Context and immediate developments
The commerce ministry framed its response as an objective appraisal of the legal and policy shifts triggered by the Supreme Court ruling. It emphasized the inconsistency it sees between U.S. unilateral tariffs and trade rules as well as U.S. law. The ministry also flagged its concern about the potential for the United States to retain protectionist stances through investigatory routes rather than direct tariff orders.
Outlook
China said it would remain vigilant and protect its national economic interests as the situation evolves, while a bilateral summit between the two presidents remains on the calendar for late March and early April.