The Chinese government has issued its first official response following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on reciprocal tariffs, stating it is comprehensively evaluating the ruling's content and implications.
In a statement posted on its website on the 23rd, China's Ministry of Commerce said, "We are aware of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on the tariff lawsuit." The ministry added, "We have consistently opposed unilateral additional tariff measures and have repeatedly emphasized that there are no winners in a trade war and no way out through protectionism. The U.S. unilateral measures, including reciprocal tariffs and fentanyl tariffs, violate international economic and trade rules as well as U.S. domestic law, and do not serve the interests of any country." The statement stressed, "When our two countries cooperate, both benefit; when they fight, both suffer."
The ministry also called for the removal of the global 15% tariff imposed by the Trump administration immediately after the ruling.
Chinese state media signaled the possibility of retaliation against the Trump administration's global 15% tariff. Yuyuantantian, a social media outlet affiliated with China Central Television (CCTV), reported the previous day, citing domestic experts: "If the U.S. reduces or cancels the relevant measures, China will also adjust accordingly. However, if the U.S. imposes new tariffs through other legal means, China will consider taking corresponding measures."
However, analysts suggest China has effectively benefited from the abolition of reciprocal tariffs. According to the Financial Times, trade research organization Global Trade Alert (GTA) projected China's average tariff rate would fall from 36.8% to 29.7% following the application of the global 15% tariff. In response, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced he would launch investigations into Asian countries' "excess production capacity" and foreign rice markets, targeting China. China's Ministry of Commerce responded, "We will closely monitor [U.S. actions] and firmly safeguard China's interests."