Xi Jinping warns tariffs hurt global trade, but China’s stance amid the US trade war raises deeper questions about its own economic strategies.
Tariffs Damage Trade, Says Xi — But the Bigger Game May Be Strategic, Not Economic
In an unexpected yet familiar refrain, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that tariffs “hurt” the multilateral trading system while hosting Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Beijing. His comments come amid an intensifying trade war between the US and China, following President Donald Trump's sweeping 145% tariff on Chinese imports — a move that triggered a 125% retaliatory tax from Beijing.
But here’s the twist: while Xi positions China as the guardian of global trade norms, his message raises an uncomfortable question — is China genuinely championing open markets, or simply defending its own economic leverage?
Trade War Escalates: China and US Dig in for a Long Fight
The latest clash reignites a years-long economic standoff between the world’s two largest economies. Trump’s move to impose a blanket import duty is part of a broader nationalist economic agenda aimed at reshaping global supply chains in America's favor. China's response — sharp tariffs and a diplomatic warning — signals that it’s not backing down.
Xi’s rhetoric was steeped in moral high ground: “Tariff and trade wars undermine the legitimate rights and interests of all countries, hurt the multilateral trading system, and impact the world economic order,” he told Aliyev, according to state media outlet Xinhua.
China’s commerce ministry didn’t mince words either, warning countries to “be wary” of striking deals with the US, framing any compromise as a betrayal of national interest. The tone? Defiant and unmistakably strategic.
China's Free Trade Narrative: Principle or Pragmatism?
Xi Jinping’s vocal defense of multilateralism sounds noble — but critics argue it's laced with hypocrisy. After all, while China calls for open markets abroad, it maintains tight control over foreign companies at home, often erecting invisible walls through regulatory roadblocks, forced technology transfers, and limited access to key sectors.
The irony? Xi’s critique of US protectionism echoes concerns long held by Western countries about China’s own trade practices. For over a decade, nations in Europe and North America have accused Beijing of market manipulation, IP theft, and unfair subsidies to state-run giants.
So when Xi calls for defending the “world economic order,” is it about preserving a rules-based system — or safeguarding China's place within a system it has long bent to its advantage?
Multilateralism vs. Multipolar Strategy: Reading Between the Lines
It’s worth noting that Xi’s meeting with Azerbaijan’s president wasn’t just a ceremonial stop. It’s part of Beijing’s broader Belt and Road strategy — a global infrastructure and influence initiative that has drawn accusations of economic coercion. In that light, China’s promotion of multilateralism often aligns with its own multipolar ambitions: dilute US influence, build alternative alliances, and position Beijing as the indispensable hub of a new world order.
The timing of Xi’s speech — right as global markets react nervously to trade tensions — suggests a dual objective: calming investor fears and portraying China as the rational actor in a messy geopolitical showdown.
Is China Really the Victim — or a Strategic Player in a Global Power Game?
Xi Jinping’s words about tariffs hurting the world economy may resonate with globalists and businesses dreading another trade downturn. But to take China’s posture at face value is to overlook its long-term ambitions and history of selective adherence to the very trade norms it now claims to defend.
As the US and China escalate their tariff war, the real conflict may be less about trade — and more about global dominance. The question isn’t just who’s right, but who benefits from claiming to be.
So, is China the wounded defender of global free trade — or a master tactician playing both sides?