China has promised to “firmly protect” its lawful interests after US President Donald Trump said countries that do business with Iran will face a 25% tariff on trade with the United States.
Speaking to reporters in Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said, “Tariff wars have no winners and China will firmly protect its legitimate and lawful rights and interests.” Her remarks came after Trump told his administration to impose the 25% tariffs on “any and all” countries doing business with Iran.
China warns tariffs bring no winners
Mao framed China’s response around opposition to tariff escalation, repeating that “tariff wars have no winners.” She also said China would protect its “legitimate and lawful rights and interests” as Washington moves forward with the tariff plan connected to Iran-related trade.
Mao also spoke about China’s broader view of the Middle East. She said Beijing supports Iran in maintaining national stability and opposes interference in Iran’s internal affairs, as well as the use or threat of force in international affairs.
What Trump said about 25% tariffs
Trump laid out the policy in a Monday post on his social media platform, Truth Social. In that post, he said: “Effective immediately, any country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America.”
Trump also added in the same message: “This Order is final and conclusive.” The statement described the tariff as applying to countries doing business with Iran, and connected the penalty directly to their trade with the United States.
US-China trade backdrop
The tariff dispute touches the world’s two largest economies. China and the United States are described as the top two economies globally, with bilateral trade running in the hundreds of billions of dollars.
China’s public response signaled pushback against the tariff approach while stressing that Beijing intends to safeguard its interests. The comments did not indicate any specific countermeasure, but emphasized China’s opposition to tariff conflict.
Iran tensions and diplomacy mentioned
The tariff statement also appeared alongside mixed signals about US-Iran relations. The report noted that Trump has repeatedly threatened to attack Iran if authorities there use lethal force to suppress protests that have spread nationwide.
At the same time, Trump’s latest post came only hours after the White House said he “has an interest” in exploring diplomacy with Tehran. The timing placed Trump’s tariff announcement next to a separate message from the White House describing openness to diplomacy.
Protests in Iran referenced
The report also described developments inside Iran. It said mass protests were held on Monday in several areas to show support for the government, as anti-government demonstrations entered their 16th day amid worsening economic conditions.
Iranian officials, according to the report, have accused the United States and Israel of backing what they described as “armed rioters,” who have carried out several attacks in public places nationwide. It also cited a US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency estimate saying the death toll from protests in Iran has risen to 646.
