China’s Ambassador to the United States, Xie Feng, has called for peace and mutual respect in U.S.-China relations but firmly warned that Beijing will defend itself if pushed further in the ongoing trade war.
In a speech delivered at a public event in Washington on Saturday—later published on the Chinese embassy’s website—Xie encouraged the United States to seek common ground with China, urging both nations to pursue peaceful coexistence rather than confrontation. Drawing on traditional Chinese medicine for metaphor, Xie suggested that balance and cooperation—like the harmony of yin and yang—should guide the world’s two largest economies.
“A good traditional Chinese medicine recipe often includes many ingredients working together to create the best healing effect,” Xie said. “Likewise, the Earth is big enough to accommodate both China and the U.S. We should choose collaboration over conflict and mutual success over mutual loss.”
However, the ambassador made it clear that China is fully prepared to retaliate if further tariffs or restrictions are imposed. “We oppose the trade war, but we will fight back if forced to,” he added.
This comes at a tense time in U.S.-China relations. The trade war, reignited under former President Donald Trump’s return to office, has brought bilateral trade to a near standstill. Tariffs exceeding 100% have been imposed on both sides, and further measures have been introduced affecting investment, cultural exchange, and shipping logistics.
China’s top shipbuilding association has already criticized a new U.S. plan to introduce port fees for China-linked vessels, calling it “short-sighted.” Meanwhile, countries like Japan and Taiwan have already entered into tariff negotiations with Washington. China, however, remains locked out of such high-level dialogue.
Trump stated on Friday that “nice conversations” are taking place privately with China, though he offered no concrete details. “It’s, like, really very good,” he told reporters, raising eyebrows about the nature and substance of those discussions.
Beijing, however, insists that respect must be shown before any formal talks can begin. So far, both sides have held firm, with no visible progress toward resolution.
Ambassador Xie’s comments signal that while China is still hopeful for diplomacy and partnership, it is not afraid to escalate tensions if pushed too far. His remarks serve as a reminder that both sides stand to lose greatly if the trade war continues unchecked.
As the global economy faces uncertain times, this standoff between the two giants could have ripple effects well beyond their borders.
