China shows no sign of backing down while issuing call for US to withdraw tariff threat

By HUIZHONG WU Associated Press BANGKOK AP China did not back down Monday in a back-and-forth with the U S over contract calling for U S President Donald Trump to withdraw his latest threat of a tariff and other export control measures broadcasted over the weekend Related Articles Nobel economics prize goes to researchers for explaining innovation-driven economic increase World leaders gathering in Egypt throw their weight behind the Gaza ceasefire deal The present day in History October Hedge fund billionaire sentenced in insider-trading affair Living hostages and Palestinian prisoners are published as part of ceasefire in Gaza Trump mulls Tomahawks for Ukraine In the latest escalation of the agreement war between the two nations Trump issued the tariff threat on all Chinese imports into the U S after China placed stricter restrictions Thursday on rare earths a vital supply used in electronics The Chinese announcement was an apparent surprise to Trump who called it an out of the blue move While Trump did not withdraw the economic threat he sounded more conciliatory than in the past saying in a Truth Social post Sunday The U S A wants to help China not hurt it China s Ministry of Commerce issued a lengthy response Sunday saying the U S was severely damaging the atmosphere of business negotiations China urges the U S to promptly correct its erroneous practices Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lin Jian revealed Monday If the U S insists on going its own way China will certainly take resolute measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests Both nations have leveraged multiple dimensions of the business relationship in the exchange war with actions ranging from U S restrictions on China s ability to import advanced computer chips China ending purchases of American soybeans and an exchange of tit-for-tat port fees Economic indicators show the retaliatory actions and uncertainty are impacting transaction between the countries Chinese pact material release Monday demonstrated exports to the U S have fallen for six straight months dropping in September from the year before