‘We are Chinese’: Beijing vows not to back down as Trump hikes tariffs to 125%

China signalled defiance on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a steep 125% tariff on Chinese imports, intensifying a high-stakes trade war between the world’s two largest economies.

Hours after Trump accused Beijing of showing a “lack of respect” and imposed the unprecedented levy, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded with a pointed social media post that evoked the country’s revolutionary spirit.

“We are Chinese. We are not afraid of provocations. We don’t back down,” Mao wrote on X, sharing a video of Mao Zedong in which the late Chinese leader denounced American hostility toward China.

In the clip, criticising the US, Mao Zedong can be heard saying, 'We will fight until we completely triumph.'
The dramatic escalation came just as Trump paused tariffs on dozens of other trading partners for 90 days — a move Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described as a strategic pause meant to reward countries that chose not to retaliate.

The fresh 125% tariff is the second hike in 24 hours. Earlier Wednesday, a 104% tariff on Chinese goods came into effect, prompting Beijing to announce reciprocal tariffs on American exports, escalating tensions further.