Beijing criticizes Washington’s latest trade move as harmful to global shipping and inflationary for American consumers, vows to defend its interests.
Beijing [China], April 18 — China has strongly opposed the United States’ latest move to impose additional port fees on Chinese-built or Chinese-operated ships, warning that the measure will have widespread consequences beyond just bilateral trade tensions.
In a press briefing on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian criticized Washington’s decision, calling it detrimental to the global shipping industry, damaging to supply chain stability, and inflationary for both American businesses and consumers.
“These actions do not benefit the US itself, nor the broader global economy,” Lin stated. “They will only raise global maritime costs, disrupt industrial supply chains, and ultimately increase inflationary pressures in the US. It hurts not just China, but American consumers and enterprises as well.”
The response comes after the US Trade Representative (USTR) issued a Federal Register notice on Thursday outlining plans to introduce new fees on all Chinese-built or Chinese-owned ships that dock at American ports. These fees, based on vessel size or cargo load, are expected to be implemented in approximately 180 days and may escalate in the future.
Lin warned that these “protectionist actions” will fail to revive the US shipbuilding industry, which the Biden and Trump administrations have aimed to protect through trade restrictions. “China urges the US to adhere to multilateral rules and immediately stop its wrongdoing. We will take necessary steps to safeguard our legal rights and interests,” he said.
This development adds further tension to the already strained US-China trade relationship. On the same day the port fee notice was released, US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about reaching a favorable trade deal with China despite ongoing tariff escalations. “We’re going to make a deal. I think it’s going to be a very good deal,” Trump stated during a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White House.
However, the White House fact sheet highlighted that China’s retaliatory tariffs on US goods have now reached up to 245%, a sharp increase from the previously imposed 145%.
As both nations tighten their trade policies and implement new barriers, global markets are bracing for increased volatility — with potential ripple effects across international shipping, pricing, and consumer goods.