China urges the United States to remove all additional tariffs imposed on China and refrain from further tariffs, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian at a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.
"The Section 301 tariffs imposed by the previous administration of the United States on China have seriously disrupted normal economic and trade exchanges between China and the U.S., and have been ruled by the World Trade Organization (WTO) as violating its rules. Instead of correcting its wrongdoing, the U.S. side continues to politicize economic and trade issues and abuses the so-called Section 301 tariff review procedure to impose additional tariffs on China, which is doubling its mistakes," said Lin.
"We urge the U.S. side to earnestly abide by the WTO rules, lift all the additional tariffs imposed on Chinese goods, and refrain from further adding tariffs. China will take all necessary measures to safeguard its own rights and interests," he said.
China urges U.S. to remove all additional tariffs: spokesman
Lai Ching-te has sent a dangerous signal of seeking "Taiwan independence" and making provocations to undermine cross-Strait peace and stability in his first speech upon assuming the role of Taiwan region's new leader on Monday, according to scholars and commentators.
Many in China's Taiwan region have pointed out that while Lai Ching-te's speeches have repeatedly emphasized the importance of peace for Taiwan, they see no concrete action on how to achieve it.
"He does not listen to public opinion and displays great arrogance. He blatantly intends to continue pursuing the 'two states' theory and will attempt to solicit U.S. support for 'Taiwan independence'. [He] disregards the desire of Taiwan for easing the situation in cross-Straits relations, which will create new factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait," said You Zixiang, a professor at Shih Hsin University.
"After listening to his entire speech, I feel that not only did he fail to express any genuine intentions for peaceful coexistence and common prosperity, but he used the concept of peaceful coexistence and common prosperity as a cover and disguise for creating a 'peaceful division'," said Wang Bingzhong, a commentator in the Taiwan region.
In the Taiwan region, there is growing concern across various sectors that future opportunities for communication between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait will become increasingly scarce.
"[The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities] are deepening the roots of political hatred. I think that since Taiwan has already experienced the tragic 'White Terror' in the past, why should we embark on a journey of 'Green Terror'?" said Chi Chia-Lin, president of the Reunification Alliance Party.
"I'm actually very concerned. Lai Ching-te's staffing arrangements have revealed his extreme ideology, and it seems that he will continue to put stress on cross-Strait relations," said Shi Xueqin, a student at Chi Nan University in Taiwan.
Lai sends dangerous signal in first speech as Taiwan's new leader: scholars, commentators
