In a dramatic pivot from diplomacy to defiance, China has responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy with a full-blown government-wide pushback. What began as attempts to negotiate a peaceful economic relationship has now evolved into a determined resistance campaign. According to insiders, Beijing has placed key ministries on “wartime footing,” canceling official vacations and ramping up communications as the trade tensions escalate.
After months of trying to open high-level communication channels with Trump’s administration, China has changed its tone. Propaganda units have taken center stage, distributing fiery messages on state media and social platforms. One viral clip featured former Chinese leader Mao Zedong declaring, “We will never yield,” symbolizing the country’s unwavering position.
This firm stance comes after Trump announced sweeping tariffs, shocking the global economy and prompting swift retaliation from Beijing. Chinese officials, some of whom had previously worked on trade responses during Trump’s first term, are back in action. Departments have been reinforced, and officials are on 24/7 alert, fully aware of the global implications of these actions.
Interestingly, this shift wasn’t sudden. Throughout late 2024 and early 2025, Chinese diplomats quietly attempted to build global alliances, reaching out to Europe, Japan, and South Korea. They sent letters urging cooperation against U.S. tariffs, hoping to rally a united front. But those efforts were met with mixed results, leaving China to strengthen its independent retaliatory strategy.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, once cautious, has now embraced a nationalistic tone, questioning if Americans could withstand economic hardship as well as the Chinese people. Beijing’s strategy includes retaliatory tariffs, travel advisories, curbs on U.S. films, and potential service trade freezes.
While Trump maintains that China is panicking, Beijing’s actions suggest otherwise. With an estimated 125% tariff on American goods already in place, Chinese officials have said they will no longer mirror future U.S. tariff hikes, dismissing Washington’s strategy as a “joke.”
The diplomatic channels that once kept tensions in check are now largely frozen. Attempts by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to meet U.S. counterparts, including National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, were unsuccessful. Efforts to connect via unofficial channels—like reaching out to Elon Musk—also failed.
The absence of effective dialogue has deepened the rift. While Trump expresses openness to a possible meeting with Xi, the Chinese side appears uninterested in symbolic gestures. Their approach: no summit until real progress is made at the working level.
China is also leaning on its experience from past trade wars. It has created a strategic playbook of countermeasures—ranging from tariffs and sanctions on U.S. firms to export controls on rare earths. These plans were prepared in anticipation of Trump’s return, reflecting lessons from his first presidency.
Though some Chinese commentators have called for targeted and less confrontational tactics, the overarching narrative is clear: China is no longer courting the U.S. It is preparing for a long-term economic battle—and making it clear to both its citizens and the world that it will not back down.
