China has trolled the US over Donald Trump’s bitter trade war, telling American “peasants” to “stop whining about being a victim in global trade”.
Tensions between the two superpowers escalated further this week, as Beijing issued a scathing rebuke of Washington’s handling of tariffs. The sharp remarks come after the Trump administration raised tariffs on Chinese imports to a staggering 145 per cent in recent weeks while pausing those on other nations.
In response, Beijing hiked tariffs on American goods to 125 per cent last week, fueling fears of a prolonged economic confrontation between the world’s two largest economies. Now, in an editorial published in the state-run newspaper China Daily, the State’s claims of being a trade victim were ridiculed. “The US is not getting ripped off by anybody. The problem is the US has been living beyond its means for decades.”
The article went on to blame America’s economic woes on systemic issues, accusing Washington of outsourcing production while relying on foreign debt to sustain its consumer-driven economy. “Rather than being ‘cheated,’ the US has been taking a free ride on the globalisation train,” the editorial said.
It concluded: “The US should stop whining about itself being a victim in global trade and put an end to its capricious and destructive behaviour.” Beijing’s rhetoric has grown increasingly direct amid recent reports that China’s economy has continued to outperform expectations.
According to government data released this week, China’s gross domestic product rose 5.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 – unchanged from the previous quarter but ahead of analysts’ expectations of 5.1 per cent.
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However, analysts warn that growth momentum may slow in the coming months as US tariffs begin to bite into Chinese exports, which account for roughly 20 per cent of the nation’s GDP.
The White House has maintained that the administration is open to striking a trade agreement with Beijing, but emphasised that “the ball is in China’s court.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, speaking to reporters, quoted Trump directly: “China needs to make a deal with us – we don’t have to make a deal with them. China wants what we have: the American consumer. Or to put it another way – they need our money,” Leavitt added.
In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian rejected Washington’s stance and said real dialogue would require an end to “maximum pressure, threats, and blackmail.” “This tariff war was initiated by the US side,” Lin said. “China does not want a fight, but it is not afraid of one either.”
The diplomatic friction intensified after Chinese officials responded angrily to a comment by US Vice President JD Vance, who referred to “Chinese peasants” during remarks about trade.
A senior Beijing official shot back: “Let those peasants in the United States wail in front of 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation.” Adding to the fallout, Hong Kong – once a free-trading port with a special status under US trade law- announced the suspension of all postal services to America via air mail starting April 27.
The city’s government cited the “unreasonable” 145 per cent tariff as the catalyst, accusing the US of abusive trade practices.
Officials in Hong Kong declared, “America has become a bully, imposing tariffs arbitrarily,” warning residents of “exorbitant and unreasonable fees” for future dealings with America.
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