By Wang Keju | China Daily | Updated: 2026-03-13
China expressed opposition over the United States' swift actions to renew its tariff pressure by launching sweeping trade investigations into 16 major economies — including China — just as top negotiators from Beijing and Washington are scheduled to soon hold their sixth round of talks.
The timing of the US probes represents a calculated effort to create bargaining chips on the eve of dialogue with China, experts said, warning that Washington's reliance on unilateral trade tools risks eroding the foundation of mutual trust.
The Office of the US Trade Representative on Wednesday initiated two separate probes under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, targeting what it calls "structural excess capacity and production" in manufacturing and forced labor practices.
The investigations cover China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, Mexico and Vietnam, among others.
"The so-called 'overcapacity' is a spurious argument, and China opposes political manipulation under such a pretext," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun on Thursday at a news conference.
"China's position on addressing China-US economic and trade issues is consistent and clear," Guo said. "China opposes all forms of unilateral tariff measures."
Tariff wars and trade wars serve no one's interests. The two nations should resolve their issues through consultation on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit, Guo added.
Previously, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said in late February that China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests should the US insist on advancing relevant investigations.
The US investigations followed a landmark Supreme Court ruling on Feb 20, which struck down broad tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and in China's case, invalidated the so-called "fentanyl tariff" and "reciprocal tariff" on Chinese goods.
In the immediate aftermath of the court decision, the US turned to Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, imposing a 10 percent import surcharge on all trading partners.
The new duties took effect on Feb 24, but are set to expire after 150 days, indicating their provisional nature.
Xiong Yuan, chief economist at Guosheng Securities, said the Trump administration's invocation of Section 122 is an interim measure, with a midterm pivot back to the more durable legal frameworks of Sections 301 and 232 as the administration seeks a long-term tariff strategy.
The latest probes create a fraught backdrop for the upcoming China-US trade and economic consultations, said Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.
"China always advocates for resolving disputes within the multilateral framework and through equal consultation. When one party uses investigations and tariff threats as negotiation tools, it doesn't create leverage — it undermines the very foundation for dialogue," Bai said.
