A senior Chinese official has launched a blistering attack on the United States over its escalating tariff measures, accusing Washington of attempting to “take away Hong Kong’s life” through economic coercion. Xia Baolong, Director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office under China’s State Council, described the latest trade actions by the US as “extremely shameless” during a televised speech to mark Hong Kong’s National Security Education Day.
In a pointed message clearly aimed at President Donald Trump’s administration, Xia said, “Bullying has never worked on the Chinese people, including those from Hong Kong. Pressure, threats, and blackmail are not the right way to deal with China.”
His comments come in response to a fresh wave of US tariffs on Chinese goods, including those from Hong Kong, after the US revoked the region’s special trading status. The decision has effectively lumped Hong Kong into the same economic basket as mainland China, meaning it is no longer exempt from the harsher trade penalties introduced under Trump’s evolving protectionist agenda.
“Let those peasants in the US wail before the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation,” Xia remarked in a defiant tone. “The Chinese people do not cause trouble, nor are they afraid of trouble.”
The backdrop to this fiery rhetoric is China’s own retaliation earlier this month, with Beijing raising levies on a wide range of American imports to 125 per cent. This was in direct response to the Trump administration’s hike in tariffs on Chinese goods, which now stand as high as 145 per cent in some sectors.
Adding further fuel to the fire, recent remarks by US Vice President JD Vance, who stated that America “borrows and buys from Chinese peasants,” triggered widespread outrage across China, intensifying already strained diplomatic relations.
Despite the tensions, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee has taken a more measured approach. In a press briefing last week, he stated that while Hong Kong is caught in the crossfire, the city does not intend to impose retaliatory tariffs of its own — at least for now. “Hong Kong remains committed to being an international free trade hub,” Lee said, “and we believe engagement, not escalation, is the best path forward.”
Nonetheless, analysts say the damage may already be done. The US’s move to strip Hong Kong of its preferential trade status, a response to Beijing’s imposition of the controversial national security law, has rattled investors and raised concerns about the region’s future as a global financial centre.
Trump’s erratic tariff policy has reverberated far beyond China and Hong Kong. Since taking office, the former president has pushed through a sweeping set of trade measures. In February, he slapped a 25 per cent tariff on most goods from Mexico and Canada, citing national security concerns. By March, all steel and aluminium imports were hit with 25 per cent duties, despite prior exemptions for allies.
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Then came the so-called “Liberation Day” on 2 April, when Trump declared a 10 per cent baseline tariff on all imported goods and raised duties to as much as 50 per cent on imports from 57 countries, including Japan. While Japan was granted a 90-day reprieve, China received no such concession.
Global reaction to these moves has been swift. Both Canada and Mexico have condemned the US for breaching trade agreements, while financial markets have shown signs of volatility amid growing fears of a global trade war.
Further pressure may be on the horizon, with reports that the US is reviewing tariffs on semiconductor imports — previously untouched — as part of a broader crackdown on high-tech trade with China.
Economists are warning that the tit-for-tat measures could backfire on American consumers, increasing prices and potentially triggering a recession if the standoff continues.
As rhetoric hardens on both sides, the prospect of resolution remains distant. For now, Hong Kong stands precariously between two economic titans — and officials like Xia Baolong are making it clear that China has no intention of backing down.
