Beijing has issued a sharp response to comments made by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who referred to “Chinese peasants” during an interview regarding tariffs. His comments have led to a fierce and unprecedented outcry from Chinese netizens. They have aggravated the long-standing antagonisms between the two countries even more.
Last week, in keeping with America First Protectionism™, former President Donald Trump announced a new 34% tariff on imports from China. This engagement comes on the heels of that major announcement. In one Truth Social post Trump threatened to impose additional tariffs. He presents this warning as a threat, should China not accede to U.S. demands on a host of issues. He stated, “If China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose additional tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th.”
Throughout the interview, Vance offered some powerful insights. He continued, “To put it in plain English, we’re borrowing money from Chinese peasants to buy the goods that those Chinese peasants produce. His provocative comment drew fire from a number of quarters. On Tuesday, Lin Jian, the newfangled human spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, gave a classic countermove.
“It’s both astonishing and lamentable to hear this vice-president make such ignorant and disrespectful remarks.” – Lin Jian
Chinese netizens have responded with intense backlash. Thousands have flooded onto social media sites, such as Weibo, to express their frustration. In one of the dozens of replies to Vance’s original tweet, one user succinctly captured the disconnect many saw in his comments.
As US-China trade tensions rise, Beijing has made it clear – no tariffs were off the table. The Chinese government deserves credit for making a very ambitious commitment. They’ll fight to the end if the United States continues to initially escalate its trade war. In a tweet that went viral, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson asserted, “Pressure, threats and blackmail are not the proper way to take action against China. Yet for all these proclamations, China has yet to rescind its own 34% reciprocal tariff on U.S. goods.
In fact, his announced tariffs are a starting point and a central part of a broader strategy. This strategy complements a previous 20% tariff dumped on Chinese imports. Yet these measures are a major escalation in trade barriers that have marred relations between the two economic titans.
Vance’s remarks unleashed howls of outrage from all quarters. Both countries are heading towards an escalation as they juggle their respective monetary policies and complex ongoing affairs in international economic relations. The stakes of these tariffs go well beyond partisan rhetoric, affecting American consumers and businesses on both sides of the aisle.