The Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Guo Jiakun (pictured) stressed on Thursday that his country and the United States have not yet engaged in any negotiations on the tariffs they recently imposed on each other's exports.
Speaking at a press conference, Guo urged the US to cease its "threats" if it is indeed open to a dialogue, as "respect is the condition" for it to happen. He also insisted that US President Donald Trump's duties on Chinese exports, which he described as a "tsunami," violate the World Trade Organization's (WTO) rules.
The ministry's comments came after Trump emphasized that the duration and value of the US's tariffs on China depend on Beijing and its actions.
