'Unilateral bullying': Xi Jinping reacts to Trump’s 145% tariff, urges EU to unite with China

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called on the European Union to work with China to stand against “unilateral bullying.” He said this in clear reference to the heavy tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump amid an ongoing trade war with China.

During his meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Xi said China and the EU should cooperate more closely to deal with the growing trade tensions between Beijing and Washington, state news agency Xinhua reported.

“China and Europe should fulfil their international responsibilities… and jointly resist unilateral bullying practices,” Xi said.

This, he stressed, would not only “safeguard their own legitimate rights and interests, but also… safeguard international fairness and justice.”

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said after meeting Xi Jinping that trade tensions shouldn’t stop the EU and China from working together.

He pointed out that Spain imports about €45 billion worth of goods from China each year but only exports around €7.4 billion, adding, “Both Spain and Europe have a big trade gap with China that we need to fix.”

he said, “we must not let trade tensions stand in the way of the potential growth of the relationship between China and Spain and between China and the EU”.

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is visiting China as the EU rethinks its trade ties following new US import tariffs that have shaken global markets.

This is Sanchez’s third trip to China in just over two years. During his last visit in September 2024, he broke ranks with the EU by opposing high tariffs on Chinese electric cars and called for a “fair trade order,” while the EU defended the tariffs as protection against unfair competition.

Before arriving in China, Sanchez was in Vietnam, where he and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed a deal to upgrade their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

With inputs from AFP