China gravely warns the U.S. that they’re ready for ‘any other type of war’
President Donald Trump is steadfastly slamming tariffs down on allies and China. It seems that Chinese President Xi Jinping is just as ready to respond to Trump’s threats beyond economic measures.
The official X account of the Chinese Embassy in the United States released a cryptic tweet in response to Trump’s economic smackdown. They wrote, “If the U.S. truly wants to solve the #fentanyl issue, then the right thing to do is to consult with China by treating each other as equals.” One of Trump’s major grievances with China is its role in producing fentanyl.
The Chinese Embassy ominously added, “If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end.” Chinese fentanyl exports have been banned since 2019. Nevertheless, Chinese companies sell substances that can be used for fentanyl production. This would make sense legally, given that fentanyl is used in the medical sector.
Blame shifting
Some Trump supporters swarmed the Chinese Embassy’s tweet. One of them wrote, “If the CCP wanted to solve the fentanyl issue, it could shut down all production overnight, given its extensive surveillance capabilities.”
Others countered the idea that China should be solely responsible for the flow of fentanyl in the United States. A detractor tweeted, “Sounds an awful lot like you want China to solve your problems using a mode of governance you oppose outwardly.” Perhaps the ends justify the means for some disgruntled Trump supporters.
Regardless of their defense, American consumers are going to feel the brunt of the trade war. Trump decided to add an additional 10% tariff on top of existing ones against China. Aside from tweeting, China has also responded with 10-15% tariffs of its own. These apply to agricultural goods, coal, liquefied gas, and automobiles from the United States. Ironically, some Chinese-owned factories have already began moving out of China prior to Trump’s tariffs. These businesses are still tied to China, but they’re able to export to the United States while avoiding political risks.
Downplaying a blatant threat
Simply put, MAGA supporters weren’t concerned. Some of them even believe that China couldn’t measure up militarily against the United States. One of them claimed on X, “Pipe down with the ridiculous and irresponsible rhetoric because you do not want to even think about actual American aggression.” This response largely downplays China’s military and economic capabilities.
In recent years, China has slowly been encroaching on the exclusive economic zones of United States allies in Southeast Asia. Similarly, China has also been pushing “reunification” with Taiwan. Beijing might not be “winning” wars, but the United States is failing to defend its allies against aggression in the South China Sea. Consequently, rising tensions in the region can result in disruptions in passing cargo from South Korea and Japan.
Perhaps this is an intentional move from Trump to begin decoupling from China. While Trump is reluctant to help foreign allies, threats from Beijing shouldn’t be scoffed at.
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