By Chinese Ambassador H.E. Cai Weiming

Recently, the United States unilaterally announced the imposition of so-called "reciprocal tariffs" on all its trading partners. This hegemonic move has seriously infringed on the legitimate rights and interests of other countries, deprived other countries, especially those in the Global South, of their right to development, severely disrupted the international trade order and the security and stability of the global industrial and supply chains, severely undermined the multilateral trading system and global economic recovery, and seriously harmed the efforts to realize the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The bullying practices of the United States have drawn strong dissatisfaction and opposition from the vast majority of countries around the world.

Trade and tariff wars have no winners, and protectionism leads nowhere. China does not want to fight these wars, but is not scared of them. China opposes this typical move of unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying, and has issued the "Chinese Government’s Position on Opposing U.S. Abuse of Tariffs". China has taken countermeasures against the bullying behavior of the U.S., not only to safeguard China’s legitimate rights and interests, but also to protect the common interests of the international community, especially the Least Developed Countries. China reaffirms its commitment to multilateralism and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, upholds international fairness and justice, to prevent a return to the jungle world where the strong prey on the weak.

As the second largest economy and second largest market for consumer goods, China is committed to opening ever wider to the world, no matter how the international situation changes. Since 2017, the negative list for foreign investment in China has been shortened from 93 to 29 items nationwide, and all restrictions on access in the manufacturing sector have been removed. In 2024, 59,000 foreign-invested companies were newly established in China, up by 9.9 percent year-on-year. In the first quarter of 2025, China’s GDP increased by 5.4%, and China’s total import and export of goods reached RMB 10.3 trillion. This month, China hosted the 5th China International Consumer Products Expo, the 2025 Global Industrial Investment Promotion Conference for the Hainan Free Trade Port, and the 137th Canton Fair. These achievements and events demonstrate China’s firm commitment to opening up, show the strong vitality of the Chinese economy, and boost world’s confidence in China as the world’s market and a source of opportunities for every country.

China, in the past years, has remained as the largest trading partner of Solomon Islands. China has given all Least Developed Countries having diplomatic relations with China, including Solomon Islands, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines. In 2024, the bilateral trade between China and Solomon Islands reached 600 million USD with an annual increase of 12.21%. Solomon Islands’ export to China grew to 391 million USD, surged by 28.76%. As China opens wider to the world, we welcome countries, including Solomon Islands to better seize the opportunities of China’s growth.

Open cooperation represents the trend of history, and mutual benefit is what the people want. Development is a universal right of all countries. In a world full of uncertainties, China will further expand the trade network, and provide stability and positive energy to the world economy through high-quality development and high-standard opening-up. We urge all countries to join hands in opposing unilateralism and protectionism of all forms, safeguard the international order with the UN at its core, uphold the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its center, and stand on the right side of history.