THE TELEGRAPH: Beijing boosts defence spending by 7.2 per cent and warns Washington it is prepared to ‘fight till the end’
China says it is “ready for war” with America as it raises defence spending and imposes retaliatory tariffs on US imports.
In a direct threat to Donald Trump, China’s representatives in America said: “If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end.”
The US has hit China with 20 per cent tariffs in response to what the White House considers to be Chinese inaction over the flow of fentanyl into America.
Beijing has responded by announcing plans to boost defence spending by 7.2 per cent and to hit the US with reciprocal tariffs of 10 to 15 per cent on certain imports from March 10.
In combative statements online, China’s ministry of foreign affairs and the US embassy warned Washington that “intimidation does not scare us” and criticised Mr Trump for linking tariffs to the fentanyl crisis. » | Sarah Newey, Global Health Security Correspondent, in Bangkok | Wednesday, March 5, 2025
