By Micah McCartney Newsweek World
China struck a defiant tone this week, saying it would "never kneel down" in a dramatic new video targeting U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war, as the world watches to see which of its top two economies will blink first.
Newsweek reached out to the White House by email with a request for comment outside of office hours.
Why It Matters
Trump has aggressively wielded tariffs-taxes on foreign goods paid by U.S. importers-since March for a range of stated economic and political goals, rattling global markets and fueling uncertainty among key American trading partners.
Earlier this month, the president imposed a baseline 10-percent tariff on most imports and announced even higher "reciprocal tariffs" on dozens of countries, citing what he called unfair trade relationships. He later issued a 90-day pause on most of the new tariffs, except those targeting China-the U.S.'s third-largest trade partner-which responded with a tariff hike of its own and other countermeasures.
What To Know
Beijing has been courting U.S. trade partners as it seeks to present itself as a responsible economic power ready to fill the leadership void left by Washington.
The two-minute video released by China's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, in both English and Mandarin, warned: "Bowing to a bully is like drinking poison to quench thirst. It only deepens the crisis."
The video on its official WeChat account blasts Trump's "90-day pause game" and urges other nations not to buckle and sign deals during the three-month reprieve.
The ministry cited the 1985 U.S.-Japan Plaza Accord, a major catalyst of the prolonged economic slump that later became known as Japan's "Lost Decades," as a cautionary tale of countries that were dealt a blow after yielding to U.S. trade pressure.
"When the rest of the world stands together in solidarity, the U.S. is just a small, stranded boat," the video says, showing an image of a raft lodged on a cracked, dry riverbed. "Someone has to step forward to shatter the fog and illuminate the path ahead," the ministry declares. "For China, we must rise and fight on."
"We hope this video will help everyone better understand China's position," spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters at the Foreign Ministry's regular press briefing on Tuesday.
What People Are Saying
Lizzie Lee, a research fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis, said: "Trump's early actions offer China new openings. The erosion of traditional alliances and the volatility of U.S. messaging create diplomatic space for Beijing to present itself as a more stable economic partner.
"Yet opportunity is tempered by risk. Foreign skepticism toward China's regulatory environment and political trajectory remains pronounced, and goodwill cannot be secured through narrative alone. Projecting stability is necessary but insufficient; without deeper institutional reforms to foster transparency, consistency, and private sector vitality, external confidence will remain elusive."
What's Next
The Trump administration has softened its rhetoric on China in recent days amid rising pressure to secure a deal and growing fears of a recession.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last week that the current 145 percent tariff rate was "not sustainable," while Trump and his aides have hinted that negotiations with Beijing are underway.
China on Monday again denied that any talks were taking place and insisted the U.S. must take the first step toward de-escalation.
Still, Beijing is also feeling the strain. A government report released on Wednesday showed manufacturing activity had dropped to its lowest point in nearly two years last month as the U.S. tariffs sent export orders plunging.
Chinese officials have been quietly working to blunt the impact of the trade war, with officials preparing a whitelist of critical U.S. goods to exempt from the duties, according to Reuters.
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This story was originally published April 30, 2025 at 6:15 AM.
