China urges US to remove tariffs imposed under 'forced labor' pretext

China's Ministry of Commerce on Monday urged the United States to correct its wrong practices and fully remove the unilateral tariff measures it imposed under the pretext of so-called forced labor.

The remarks were made by a ministry spokesperson in response to a media query about the US' recent imposition of additional Section 301 tariffs on 60 economies, including China, following a "forced labor"-related investigation.

China has consistently opposed forced labor and has established a comprehensive labor law and regulatory framework, the spokesperson said, stressing that the country is resolute in preventing and combating forced-labor practices. By contrast, the United States has yet to ratify the Forced Labour Convention, 1930, and has long manipulated the "forced labor" issue, the spokesperson said.

This time, the United States has once again launched a Section 301 investigation and imposed unilateral tariffs under the pretext of "forced labor." This is a typical act of unilateralism and protectionism, which China firmly opposes, the spokesperson said.

The US side has reiterated its intention to use Section 301 tariffs as a replacement for the tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that have been ruled invalid, as well as the Section 122 import surcharge. In China-US economic and trade consultations, the United States made a clear commitment that any replacement additional tariffs on Chinese goods would not exceed 20%.

Currently, the replacement additional tariffs imposed by the United States on Chinese goods stand at 12.5%, while China's countermeasures against the first round of so-called fentanyl tariffs and reciprocal tariffs imposed by the United States remain in effect, the spokesperson said.

The United States should correct its wrong practices and fully remove the relevant unilateral tariff measures, the spokesperson said.

China will continue to closely monitor and conduct a full assessment of subsequent US moves and reserves the right to take all necessary measures, said the spokesperson.

China is willing to continue dialogue and consultations with the United States on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, in a bid to address each other's concerns, said the spokesperson.

China hopes that the United States will work with China in the same direction, the spokesperson said, calling for joint efforts to uphold and implement the consensus reached in the economic and trade consultations. The two sides should continue to expand cooperation, thereby making greater contributions to building a constructive bilateral relationship of strategic stability, the spokesperson added.