China's Commerce Ministry stated on Tuesday it "has no choice but to retaliate" against the tariffs imposed by the United States on $200 billion of its goods, to come into effect on September 24. Beijing said it will announce its own punitive measures "simultaneously with the US," although it did not provide details on the strategy. US President Donald Trump warned Washington will hit China with more tariffs "immediately" if it chooses to retaliate.
"We express deep regrets about this. To defend our legitimate rights and safeguard the global order of free trade, the Chinese side will be forced to respond. The US side's decision to introduce tariffs has brought uncertainties to negotiations between both sides. We hope the US side can realize the negative results triggered by such actions and make corrections in a convincing manner," the ministry said in a statement.
