China shows no sign of backing down while issuing call for US to withdraw tariff threat

By HUIZHONG WU Associated Press BANGKOK AP China did not back down Monday in a back-and-forth with the U S over pact calling for U S President Donald Trump to withdraw his latest threat of a tariff and other export control measures stated over the weekend Related Articles Nobel economics prize goes to researchers for explaining innovation-driven economic increase World leaders gathering in Egypt throw their weight behind the Gaza ceasefire deal Living hostages and Palestinian prisoners are distributed as part of ceasefire in Gaza Nowadays in History October Hedge fund billionaire sentenced in insider-trading event Trump urges Israel to seize chance for peace ahead of Egypt summit and presses for Netanyahu pardon In the latest escalation of the commerce war between the two nations Trump issued the tariff threat on all Chinese imports into the U S after China placed stricter restrictions Thursday on rare earths a vital store used in electronics The Chinese announcement was an apparent surprise to Trump who called it an out of the blue move While Trump did not withdraw the economic threat he sounded more conciliatory than in the past saying in a Truth Social post Sunday The U S A wants to help China not hurt it China s Ministry of Commerce issued a lengthy response Sunday saying the U S was severely damaging the atmosphere of business negotiations China urges the U S to promptly correct its erroneous practices Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lin Jian announced Monday If the U S insists on going its own way China will certainly take resolute measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests Both nations have leveraged multiple dimensions of the bargain relationship in the exchange war with actions ranging from U S restrictions on China s ability to import advanced computer chips China ending purchases of American soybeans and an exchange of tit-for-tat port fees Economic indicators show the retaliatory actions and uncertainty are impacting pact between the countries Chinese transaction details release Monday displayed exports to the U S have fallen for six straight months dropping in September from the year before