China has announced that its countermeasures against U.S. tariffs imposed over the fentanyl dispute are still in effect. At a regular news briefing on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian criticized the United States for imposing what he called “unreasonable” tariffs on Chinese goods.
“The United States unreasonably imposed two rounds of tariffs on China under the pretext of fentanyl,” Lin said. “China promptly took countermeasures to firmly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests. These countermeasures remain effective.”
The U.S. recently imposed 20 percent tariffs on Chinese products, alleging that China is not doing enough to curb the production and export of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid contributing to a public health crisis in the United States. Fentanyl is responsible for thousands of overdose deaths annually in the U.S.
China has consistently denied these allegations, emphasizing its efforts to combat illegal drug trafficking. Lin urged the U.S. to “address its domestic issues” and stop shifting blame onto China.
The trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies have escalated following talks in Geneva, highlighting ongoing challenges in U.S.-China relations.
