Amid Tariff War With US, China Urges India To Oppose ‘Hegemonism’, 'Power Politics'

With tensions rising between China and the United States—especially after Washington doubled tariffs on Chinese imports to 20 percent—Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday (7 March) called on New Delhi and Beijing to work together and "take the lead in opposing hegemonism and power politics."

Speaking after a National People's Congress meet, Wang said, "making the dragon and elephant dance is the only right choice", NDTV reported.

He also said, "Supporting, instead of wearing each other down, and strengthening cooperation, instead of guarding (against) each other, is in our fundamental interests."

He asserted that collaboration between Asia’s two biggest economies would accelerate the "democratisation of international relations" and bolster the Global South’s development and strength.

On Thursday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India was working with China to plot "a more predictable and positive course" for bilateral relations.

This effort includes restarting pilgrimages to sites under Chinese control, resuming direct flights, and facilitating journalist exchanges.

On Friday, Wang, responding to a query on India-China ties, also pointed to "positive strides" over the past year, referring to military disengagement in Ladakh's Depsang and Demchok.

He also recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with President Xi Jinping in Russia’s Kazan last October.

Addressing the border dispute, he emphasized, "We should never allow bilateral relations to be defined by the boundary question, or (allow) specific differences to affect overall bilateral ties."

These remarks come amid a brewing tariff war between the US and China, reminiscent of Donald Trump’s first term as US President.

On Tuesday, Trump signed an order raising tariffs on Chinese imports from 10 to 20 percent.

The White House justified the move as retaliation for Beijing’s alleged failure to curb fentanyl exports, a synthetic narcotic linked to America’s opioid crisis.

Beijing reacted swiftly, with the Chinese embassy in Washington declaring within 24 hours, "If war is what the US wants... be it tariff, trade, or any other type, we're ready to fight till the end."

In response, China announced tariffs of up to 15 percent on several US agricultural products, including soybeans, pork, and wheat, effective next week.

Additionally, China lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organization, arguing that the "unilateral tax... seriously violates WTO rules and undermines the foundation of China-US economic and trade cooperation."

Beijing also dismissed the fentanyl accusation as a "flimsy excuse to raise tariffs."

Also Read: PM Modi Inaugurates NAMO Hospital Phase 1, Launches Rs 2,580 Crore Projects In Silvassa