China criticizes US tariff narrative as 'one-sided, misleading'

GENEVA -- China has criticized the US "reciprocal tariffs" policy for its "one-sided, misleading" narrative and erroneous logic, urging the United States to faithfully abide by rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and maintain stability of the global trading system.

At a meeting of the Council for Trade in Services on Friday at WTO headquarters here, the Chinese delegation pointed out that focusing only on goods trade while overlooking services trade, the US narrative on "reciprocal tariffs" is one-sided and misleading.

The delegation said the United States has sustained long-term services trade surpluses with its major trading partners, which approached 300 billion US dollars in 2024 alone.

By deeply participating in the highest value-added activities, such as research and development, design, branding, and sales, the United States gains much higher returns in international trade and globalization than surface trade data reflects, it added.

The delegation urged the United States not to employ a double standard regarding WTO rules. The United States cannot only allow itself to benefit while not letting others, especially developing members, benefit from the WTO, said the delegation.

Meanwhile, it said that China and the United States have reached consensus through equal consultation, which helps to ease tensions.

While bilateral negotiations may serve as a channel to ease and resolve trade frictions, such arrangements must be based on WTO rules, must not violate the basic principle of non-discrimination, and must not harm the interests of third parties, the delegation stressed.

China calls on all members to address their trade concerns within the WTO framework, and to handle trade disputes through multilateral cooperation rather than unilateral measures.

Moreover, China highlights the importance of accelerating WTO reform to strengthen an open, stable, and predictable multilateral trading system.

The Chinese delegation's statement resonated widely among WTO members. Both developed members, including the EU, Australia and Canada, and developing members, such as Brazil and Pakistan, made positive responses.

The members emphasized that services represent the future of global trade. Services trade stands as a vital force in countering economic crises and in ensuring the resilience of global supply chains.

They also called for joint efforts to uphold consultation and cooperation and promote healthy and stable growth of global trade.