Xi Jinping warns of ‘self-isolation’ in first response to Trump tariffs, calls on EU to resist US ‘bullying’

NEW DELHI: In his first public response to the sweeping tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday warned that “there are no winners in the tariff war” and that confronting the international community could lead to “self-isolation.”
“For over seven decades, China’s growth has been fuelled by self-reliance and hard work, never depending on favours from others and never backing down in the face of unreasonable suppression,” Xi said, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua.
“No matter how the external environment shifts, China will maintain its resolve and focus, dedicating itself to managing its own affairs efficiently.”
Xi’s comments came during a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing, where the Chinese leader urged the European Union to join China in opposing unilateralism and economic coercion—an implicit reference to the United States.
“China and Europe should fulfil their international responsibilities… and jointly resist unilateral bullying practices,” Xi said, adding that such cooperation would help “safeguard their own legitimate rights and interests” as well as “international fairness and justice.”
Sanchez, speaking at a press conference following the meeting, acknowledged the EU’s trade imbalance with China but stressed that trade tensions should not derail broader diplomatic and economic ties.
“Both Spain and Europe have a significant trade deficit with China that we must work to rectify,” Sanchez said. “But 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.”
Spain imports around €45 billion worth of goods from China annually while exporting about €7.4 billion to the country, making China its fourth-largest trading partner.
Sanchez’s visit comes at a pivotal moment, as the EU reconsiders its global trade posture amid market instability triggered by the Trump administration’s latest tariffs. This marks the Spanish prime minister’s third trip to China in just over two years.
In a notable move during his last visit in September 2024, Sanchez diverged from the EU consensus by urging a rethink of planned tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, calling instead for a “fair trade order.”
Before arriving in Beijing, Sanchez visited Hanoi, where he and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed a joint declaration to upgrade bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.