China has condemned new U.S. tariffs imposed on Beijing and 59 other countries over alleged forced labour concerns, warning Washington against escalating trade tensions.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday that Beijing opposed all unilateral tariff measures and that trade wars were not in the interest of any country.
The new U.S. levies range from 10 to 12.5 percent, with China receiving the highest rate among the affected countries.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Washington was enforcing a ban on imports linked to forced labour and urged other countries to take similar action.
Countries with forced labour restrictions, including Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom, were placed under the lower 10 percent tariff rate, while major partners such as India and Japan received higher tariffs.
The latest measures replace a global tariff introduced earlier this year by President Donald Trump, following a legal setback that limited his ability to impose broad duties.
The development risks renewing trade tensions between the United States and China, which had reached a temporary truce after talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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