‘Ignorant and impolite’: China hits back at JD Vance over ‘Chinese peasants’ remark

China on Tuesday called out US Vice President JD Vance’s remark on Chinese people, saying that they were “ignorant and impolite”. The US and China are engaged in a war of words after President Donald Trump imposed retaliatory and additional tariffs on Beijing.

“China’s position on China-US economic and trade relations has been made very clear,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.

“It is surprising and sad to hear such ignorant and impolite words from this vice president,” he added.

Beijing – Washington’s major economic rival but also a key trading partner – responded by announcing its own 34 per cent duties on US goods to come into effect on Thursday, deepening a showdown between the world’s two largest economies.

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What did Vance say?

During an interview last week with Fox News, Vance defended Washington’s levies on China by saying, “We borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture.”

“That is not a recipe for economic prosperity. It’s not a recipe for low prices, and it’s not a recipe for good jobs in the United States of America,” he added.

"We borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture" pic.twitter.com/OG3sj5m0CE

— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) April 3, 2025

How has China responded to tariffs?

China on Tuesday accused the US of “pressure, threats and blackmail” over President Donald Trump’s unprecedented additional 50 per cent tariffs on the country that are expected to rattle a wobbly market.

“Tariff wars have no winners, and protectionism has no way out. Chinese people don’t make trouble, but are not afraid of it. Pressure, threats and blackmail are not the right way to deal with China,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.

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Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

The swift retaliation from China sparked a fresh warning from Trump that he would impose additional levies if Beijing refused to stop pushing back against his barrage of tariffs – a move that would drive the overall levies on Chinese goods to 104 percent.

With inputs from agencies