China has declared its intent to “continue to take resolute and forceful measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests” in response to new U.S. restrictions on AI chip exports and proposed revocations of Chinese student visas. Beijing argues these measures violate a recent trade agreement, indicating a firm stance against what it perceives as American provocations.
The Chinese Commerce Ministry released a statement asserting that the U.S. practices “seriously violate the consensus” reached to de-escalate tariffs and restart stalled trade. This agreement, which provided a temporary pause to President Trump’s trade wars, appears to be struggling to overcome underlying strategic disagreements, particularly in the crucial area of advanced technology.
China maintains it has upheld its end of the deal by canceling or suspending its own retaliatory tariffs. However, Beijing accuses the U.S. of “unilaterally provok[ing] new economic and trade frictions,” thereby increasing uncertainty in bilateral relations. The explicit warning of forceful measures suggests that China is prepared to implement counter-actions if the U.S. does not change course.
