China Urges Japan to Fight U.S. Tariffs Together

Chinese Premier Li Qiang sent a letter to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba calling for a joint response to United States President Donald Trump’s tariffs, Japan’s Kyodo News agency reported today. The letter said the two Asian giants must “fight protectionism together.”

Last month, the two countries, together with South Korea, discussed the possibility of responding jointly to U.S. tariffs.

Li’s letter came just a day after China warned countries against making deals with the U.S. at China’s expense. China’s Ministry of Commerce said it would “take countermeasures in a resolute and reciprocal manner” against nations that align with the U.S. in the trade war.

Trade war: Japan was one of the many countries targeted by U.S. tariffs, which Ishiba called “extremely disappointing and regrettable,” stating that Japan had done nothing “unfair” to America.

President Trump scaled back the original 24 percent tariff on Japan to 10 percent for 90 days to allow time for negotiations. At the same time, he increased tariffs on China.

Since then, U.S. tariffs on China have climbed to a staggering 145 percent, while China has retaliated with a 125 percent tariff on U.S. goods.

China-Japan relations: Japan has allied itself closely with the U.S. in recent decades while relations with China have historically been tense. But Trump’s aggressive trade policies are leading China to lay aside its differences with Japan to save its economy; meanwhile, Japan no longer views America as a reliable ally.

To learn where this will lead, read “Japan’s Coming Betrayal of America.”