Once again, Washington's word proves worthless

It is getting harder and harder for members of the world community to deal with the current US administration, as it clearly has a problem keeping the country's word. It has scrapped international treaties at will, and it has shown a double face in bilateral trade talks with almost all its major trading partners.

It is China that is now bearing the brunt of the US administration's disreputable behavior. On Friday, the US administration threatened to impose 10 percent in tariffs on another $300 billion in Chinese goods, starting next month. This was just two days after trade representatives from China and the United States concluded the 12th round of high-level economic and trade talks in Shanghai, with the US side describing the talks as "constructive".

The new US tariff decision not only violates the consensus reached between the top leaders of the two countries on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, in June, it also casts a shadow over future talks.