Tensions between China and the United States have reignited after Beijing accused Washington of "severely violating" a fragile trade truce agreed upon just weeks ago, BBC reported. In a sharply worded statement on Monday, China’s Ministry of Commerce warned that it would take “strong measures” to defend its economic interests.
The ministry said the US had “seriously undermined” the agreement reached during Geneva talks in May, where both nations agreed to significantly lower tariffs on each other's goods. The US had reduced tariffs on Chinese imports from 145% to 30%, while China lowered its retaliatory duties from 125% to 10%.
A ministry spokesperson also pointed to violations of a consensus reached during a January phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing the U.S. of reneging on its commitments, BBC reported.
The latest spat comes after President Trump alleged on Friday that China had “totally violated its agreement with us,” though he offered no specifics. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer later clarified that China had failed to remove non-tariff barriers, as promised under the deal.
As per BBC, Beijing on Monday listed several alleged violations by Washington, including a halt to the sale of computer chip design software to Chinese firms, renewed warnings against using Huawei-made semiconductors, and the cancellation of visas for Chinese students pursuing technology and engineering courses in the U.S.
The Geneva deal, reached after months of high-stakes negotiations, had been seen as a rare breakthrough, especially given the wide gap between the two sides on core trade issues. It had sparked cautious optimism among global markets.
However, with both sides now trading accusations, the fragile nature of the truce has once again been exposed—underscoring just how difficult it may be to craft a lasting agreement amid escalating geopolitical and technological rivalry.
