Chinese ambassador Xie Feng says Beijing does not want to fight but will not be ‘intimidated’

Beijing’s top diplomat in the US took another hit at Washington’s tariffs on Chinese goods on Saturday, while reiterating that China was open to dialogue — but only on the basis of reciprocity and mutual respect.

“Tariff hikes benefit no one. They disrupt businesses, raise costs, rattle financial markets and slow down global growth,” said Chinese ambassador Xie Feng, to an audience in Washington during the embassy’s annual open day to the public.

“The tariff war was not launched by China,” he continued, adding that if the US wanted to talk, “it should act in the spirit of equality, respect and reciprocity”.

Xie delivered his remarks as Beijing and Washington remain locked in a trade stand-off.

US President Donald Trump in recent days had claimed that bilateral trade talks were under way and that Beijing had made overtures to Washington, going so far as to say that Chinese President Xi Jinping had called him. Meanwhile, Beijing has repeatedly denied that any negotiations were taking place.

The apparent impasse could be breaking. China’s commerce ministry on Friday acknowledged for the first time what it said were repeated attempts by senior US officials to begin negotiations, noting it was now considering talks.