China on Monday called on the United States to cancel its unilateral tariff measures on trade partners after the US Supreme Court ruled that tariffs imposed under emergency powers were unlawful.
Responding to media inquiries, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said Beijing will closely monitor Washington’s latest tariff actions and firmly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests. The ministry also urged the US to remove additional unilateral tariffs imposed on its trading partners.
Tariffs illegal
The US Supreme Court ruled on Friday that President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were illegal. The majority concluded that the IEEPA does not grant the president authority to impose broad import taxes.
The Chinese commerce ministry said China is conducting a comprehensive assessment of the ruling and its potential implications. It reiterated its long-standing opposition to all forms of unilateral tariff increases, stressing that trade wars produce no winners and protectionism offers no way forward.
The ministry said the US measures, including reciprocal and fentanyl-related tariffs, violate both international trade rules and US domestic law and do not serve the interests of any party.
“Facts have repeatedly shown that China and the United States both benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation,” the spokesperson said.
The ministry added that the US is reportedly preparing alternative measures, such as launching trade investigations, in an effort to maintain tariffs on its trading partners. China will continue to follow developments closely and take firm steps to safeguard its interests, it added.
European Commission weighs in
Meanwhile, the European Commission demanded on Sunday that the US adhere to the terms of an EU-US trade deal reached last year.
The European Commission, acting on behalf of the EU’s 27 member states in trade policy negotiations, stated that Washington must offer “full clarity” regarding its intended steps after the court’s decision.
Temporary tariffs
After the court struck down Trump’s global tariffs on Friday, the US president announced temporary, across-the-board tariffs of 10%, which he then hiked to 15% a day later.
“The current situation is not conducive to delivering ‘fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial’ transatlantic trade and investment, as agreed to by both sides” in the joint statement setting out the terms of last year’s trade agreement, the commission said. “A deal is a deal.”
These remarks carried a significantly sharper tone compared with the commission’s initial reaction on Friday, which had merely noted it was reviewing the Supreme Court ruling and maintaining dialogue with the US administration.
Last year’s trade deal set a 15% US tariff rate for most EU goods, apart from those covered by other sectoral tariffs such as steel. It also allowed zero tariffs on some products such as aircraft and spare parts. The EU agreed to remove import duties on many US goods and withdrew a threat to retaliate with higher levies.
“In particular, EU products must continue to benefit from the most competitive treatment, with no increases in tariffs beyond the clear and all-inclusive ceiling previously agreed,” the EU executive said, adding that unpredictable tariffs were disruptive and undermined confidence across global markets.
It said that EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic had discussed the issue with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Saturday.
