At the 61st Munich Security Conference held from February 14 to 16 in Munich, Germany, global leaders sharply criticized the United States’ protectionist tariff policies. The Trump administration’s arbitrary imposition of tariffs has raised significant concerns among countries and regions attending the conference.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, delivering a keynote speech on the first day, stated that “protectionism offers no way out, and arbitrary tariffs produce no winners.” He emphasized the importance of international cooperation and called for efforts to support an equal and orderly multipolar world with universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed these sentiments, criticizing trade wars and punitive tariffs by stating they “make no sense.” She warned that tariffs would fuel inflation and severely impact workers, businesses, and the middle class on both sides of the Atlantic. Von der Leyen underscored the need to prevent a “global race to the bottom.”
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also condemned the Trump administration for disregarding established rules and long-standing partnerships. “The absence of rules must not become the guiding principle of a new world order,” he warned during his opening speech.
On the sidelines of the conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. Baerbock reiterated Germany’s opposition to tariff and trade wars and affirmed the country’s commitment to upholding multilateralism and free trade in cooperation with China.
