China Rejects US Forced Labor Claims

(MENAFN) China pushed back forcefully on Wednesday against proposed US tariffs targeting more than 60 economies, flatly denying the existence of forced labor within its borders and condemning what it characterized as politically motivated trade aggression.

"We oppose making up pretext for laying tariffs; we oppose this as a pretext for political manipulation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing.

Mao stated that Beijing "always opposes all sources of unilateral tariff measures of all kinds."

"Trade and tariff wars serve no one's interest. Economic and trade issues should be resolved through dialogue on the basis of equality and reciprocity," said Mao.

Her remarks were a direct response to a Trump administration proposal to impose additional tariffs of 10% or 12.5% on imported goods from at least 60 economies — including the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong — over allegations of forced labor in production.

The standoff pits the world's two largest economies against each other: the US and China boast gross domestic products of approximately $32 trillion and $20.8 trillion, respectively.

The two sides spent much of last year locked in a bruising cycle of tit-for-tat tariff measures before eventually declaring a truce, subsequently agreeing to reduce levies on select goods to stabilize the relationship. Despite those efforts, mutual trade in goods and services has contracted to roughly $414 billion.

On the European front, Mao separately urged the EU to "adhere" to core market economy principles and resist the pull of protectionist policymaking.

Responding to reports of EU plans to reduce dependence on US and Asian technologies in favor of homegrown digital alternatives, she said: "The essence of China-EU economic and trade relations is mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, and China is closely following relevant developments on the EU side."

MENAFN03062026000045017169ID1111205293