China’s ambassador to the United States, Xie Feng, has urged Washington to seek common ground with Beijing and pursue peaceful coexistence while warning that China stood ready to retaliate in the escalating trade war.
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Ambassador Xie Feng Calls for Cooperation, Warns Against Escalation
China’s Ambassador to the United States, Xie Feng, has called on Washington to find common ground and pursue peaceful coexistence, even as he warned that Beijing is prepared to defend itself amid an increasingly hostile trade environment.
Speaking at a public event in Washington on Saturday, April 19—with remarks later published by the Chinese embassy—Xie condemned the use of tariffs, warning that they could severely damage the global economy. He compared the current trajectory to the 1930 US tariffs that contributed to the Great Depression, arguing that history could repeat itself if tensions continue to rise.
Traditional Wisdom and a Call for Harmony
Drawing from traditional Chinese medicine, Xie emphasized the importance of balance and harmony—symbolized by the opposing forces of yin and yang—in guiding the world’s two largest economies.
“A good traditional Chinese medicine formula combines many different ingredients that complement and reinforce each other to produce the best result,” he explained.
“Likewise, the world is big enough for both China and the United States. We should aim for peaceful coexistence, not confrontation, and help each other succeed rather than spiral into a lose-lose situation.”
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Trade Relationship at a Standstill
The US-China trade war has effectively stalled bilateral trade, with tariffs exceeding 100% imposed by both sides. A range of restrictions on trade, investment, and cultural exchange has deepened the divide between the two economic powers.
On Saturday, China’s shipbuilding association criticized a US proposal to impose port fees on ships associated with Chinese companies—marking another flashpoint in an already tense economic relationship
Countries like Japan and Taiwan are either actively negotiating or preparing to engage with the United States over tariffs introduced under former President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” measures. However, no high-level talks are currently scheduled between Washington and Beijing.
Likewise, the earth is big enough to accommodate both China and the US,” he said. “We should pursue peaceful coexistence rather than collide head-on, and help each other succeed rather than get caught in a lose-lose scenario.”
Despite the formal deadlock, Trump offered a more positive tone during remarks at the White House on Friday, suggesting that unofficial communication was still taking place.
“By the way, we have nice conversations going with China,” Trump told reporters. “It’s, like, really very good.”
He did not elaborate further.
Meanwhile, Beijing has maintained that mutual respect is a prerequisite for any meaningful dialogue. Ambassador Xie reiterated that while China opposes the trade war, it is fully prepared to retaliate against any country that imposes tariffs on Chinese goods.
The trade war has all but frozen the mammoth trade between the world’s two largest economies, with Tariffs over 100 percent in each direction restrictions.
