China has lashed out at Canada’s decision to impose extra tariffs on products containing Chinese steel. On Friday, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said the move violates global trade rules and harms China’s interests.
Canada announced on Wednesday that, starting August 1, it would impose a 25% additional tariff on steel imports from non-U.S. countries if the steel was melted and poured in China. The country says this is in response to U.S. steel tariffs and a worldwide surplus of steel.
But China isn’t happy. “This is a typical act of unilateralism and protectionism,” the ministry’s spokesperson said. “We are strongly dissatisfied and oppose such actions.”
The spokesperson argued that the real reason behind Canada’s steel industry troubles is the United States’ tariff measures. “Instead of addressing the real issue, the Canadian government is shifting the damage to other trading partners, including China,” they said.
Labeling Canada’s actions as “unreasonable, illegal, and unhelpful,” the spokesperson warned that they could seriously harm economic and trade cooperation between China and Canada.
China is urging Canada to “immediately correct its wrongdoings” and stop the restrictive measures. “We will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises,” the spokesperson added.
This dispute adds to the growing global trade tensions, with countries like China and Canada caught in the crossfire of larger trade policies initiated by the United States.
