China slams unilateral US tariffs
The Ministry of Commerce on Monday urged the United States to remove unilateral tariff measures imposed under the pretext of so-called "forced labour". A ministry spokesperson called it "a typical act of unilateralism and protectionism, which China firmly opposes", according to Xinhua News Agency. The spokesperson said Beijing has consistently opposed forced labour and has established a comprehensive labour law and regulatory framework, and stressed it's resolute in preventing and combating forced-labour practices. The remarks came after Washington recently imposed additional Section 301 tariffs on 60 economies, including China, following a "forced labour"-related investigation. Washington "should correct its wrong practices and fully remove the relevant unilateral tariff measures", Xinhua quoted the Commerce Ministry spokesperson as saying. The spokesperson added China is willing to continue dialogue and consultations with the US on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, in a bid to address each other's concerns. Edited by Edmond Fong