'Wheels of history must not be turned back': China slams US tariffs, calls for global pushback against 'power politics'

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi - File Photo

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday said the United States cannot act recklessly and the wheels of history cannot be reversed. Wang called on the international community to stand united against what he described as a dangerous resurgence of unilateralism and coercive diplomacy, saying that it "cannot sit idle".

Wang Yi made the remarks during his meeting with Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Beijing.

He noted that the US has recently been brandishing tariffs across the globe, blatantly placing its own interests above those of the international community and openly disregarding the multilateral trade system and established rules.

"The US recently has been wielding the tariff stick indiscriminately, blatantly placing its own interests above the common interests of other nations and openly disregarding the multilateral trade system and established international rules," said Yi.

"is a responsible member of the international community. The country's opposition to power politics is not only to safeguard its own legitimate rights and interests, but also to uphold the common interests of all nations and to prevent humanity from regressing into law of the jungle," he added.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi: The international community must not sit idly by. The #US cannot act with impunity and the wheels of history must not be turned backThe US recently has been wielding the #tariff stick indiscriminately, blatantly placing its own interests pic.twitter.com/xEnIYjLLBb
Chinese Embassy in US (@ChineseEmbinUS) April 11, 2025

Calling China a “responsible member of the international community,” Wang said Beijing’s opposition to power politics is not just about defending its own national interests, but about safeguarding multilateralism and preventing the return to “the law of the jungle.”

As tensions grow between the world’s two largest economies, Wang called on other nations to take “a clear stance” in rejecting unilateral trade actions. “The international community must speak with one voice to uphold justice and truth,” he said, urging a collective stand to counter “falsehoods and coercion.”

The statement reflects growing frustration in Beijing over Washington’s intensifying economic pressure and may mark a shift toward rallying global opinion in China’s favor as it seeks to frame the trade conflict as a broader fight for fairness in the international system.

Earlier in the day, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that there is no winner in a tariff war, and going against the world will only result in self-isolation.

China also decided to retaliate with additional tariffs on US goods from April 12, taking the total effective rate to 125 per cent. This came a day after US President Donald Trump announced a total of 145 per cent duty on Chinese goods.