Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Zhou Jian Publishes a Signed Article Entitled“China and Fiji Must Say No to Trade Protectionism”

On April 11 and 12, H.E. Ambassador Zhou Jian published a signed article entitled China and Fiji Must Say No to Trade Protectionism on the Fiji Times and Fiji Sun. The full text of the article is as follows:

On April 2, the U.S. government unilaterally announced the imposition of so-called "reciprocal tariffs" on all trading partners under various pretexts. This act of trade protectionism sent shockwaves across the world. At a time when nations are collectively advancing economic globalization, Washington's punitive "reciprocal tariffs", including that of 34% and 32% on China and Fiji respectively, stunned the world and could have severe consequences for the global economy. This decision reflects a unilateralist and protectionist mindset that is eroding the hard-won foundation of trust in the multilateral trading system built over decades. In this regard, I would like to share some thoughts:

I.Tariff Abuse Breaches International Rules, Undermining Fairness and Justice

The United States claims to be "taken advantages of" in international trade, and thus unilaterally wield the "tariff stick" against its trade partners under the pretext of "reciprocity". This violates the commitment to non-discrimination among World Trade Organization (WTO) members, undermines the negotiating and tariff-setting methods established by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), dilutes the WTO's most-favored-nation (MFN) treatment, and causes unprecedented harm to international trade. But has the United States really been "at a disadvantage" in international trade? As indicated by WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in her recent article "America's Big Trade Win", the U.S. is not only a major beneficiary of the global trading system, but also holds a dominant position in the services trade sector, with a service trade surplus of nearly US$300 billion in 2024. If we look at Fiji, Fiji's trade surplus with the U.S. in 2024 was only FJ$63 million, and 96% of U.S. goods imported by Fiji enjoyed zero or 5% tariffs, yet now the U.S. is imposing a 32% tariff on all Fijian goods. The U.S., turning a blind eye to the fact that it has long reaped disproportionate gains from international trade, is now using its trade deficit in goods as an excuse and raising tariff barriers to "claim compensation" from other countries. This is a typical act of unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying. It puts U.S. interests above the common good of the international community, violating fairness and justice. Such action will inevitably face widespread opposition from the international community.

II. Trade Barriers Exacerbate Development Difficulties, Benefiting None and Harming All

The world economy is an ocean where the interests of all nations are deeply intertwined. The America's reckless use of tariffs not only fails to address its own issues, but also severely harms the interests of its trade partners, exacerbates the economic difficulties of vulnerable countries, and increases the global development deficit. Tariff barriers artificially raise the prices of goods, disrupt global supply chains, and fuel inflation, with the burden ultimately falling on consumers worldwide. In the face of U.S. trade bullying, China, as the world's second-largest economy and second-largest consumer market, can still cope with the pressure with its complete industrial chain and diversified markets. However, Pacific Island Countries like Fiji, with a relatively weak and vulnerable economy, primarily dependent on a few export sectors such as bottled water, kava, fish, and sugar, will be directly impacted by tariff barriers, threatening the livelihoods of the Fijian people and putting them in an even more disadvantageous position within the global trade system. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that the new round of U.S. tariff policies will lead to investment reduction and supply chain disruptions, posing a downward risk to the global economy. The global economic output is expected to decrease by 0.8% in 2025 and 1.3% in 2026. The World Bank warns that if the U.S. imposes a 10% across-the-board tariff and trade partners retaliate with tariffs of their own, global economic growth will decline by 0.3% in 2025.

Since the announcement of the tariff policy, the U.S. has begun to taste the bitter consequences. As American citizens rush to stockpile goods, protests and demonstrations have erupted across all 50 states, with 600,000 people taking to the streets. The U.S. stock market took a tumble, with more than US$6 trillion in value evaporating in just two trading days. The combined market capitalization of the "Magnificent Seven"-Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Tesla, Meta, Nvidia, and Google-suffered a loss of US$1.8 trillion. Yet, the U.S. remains unrepentant, stubbornly refusing to change course.

III. Respond to Tariffs with Open Cooperation: China-Fiji Partnership Charts a New Path

Economic globalization is an inevitable path for human development. Open cooperation is the historical trend. And mutual benefit reflects the shared aspiration of all. China firmly supports the multilateral trading system, strongly opposes the U.S.'s unilateral imposition of additional tariffs, and resolutely safeguards its legitimate rights and interests. China will continue to steadfastly advance high-quality development and high-standard opening-up, and implement high-level trade and investment liberalization and facilitation policies. By sharing development opportunities with the world, China is committed to work with the international community to achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, and jointly address the challenges posed by increasing global economic uncertainties. China and Fiji are good brothers who have stood together through thick and thin. When Fiji faced economic sanctions from other countries, China firmly stood with Fiji, helping it overcome difficulties. Over the half-century since establishing diplomatic relations, China-Fiji economic and trade cooperation has maintained strong growth momentum. According to statistics from China Customs, our bilateral trade reached US$526 million in 2023 and US$534 million in 2024, representing an annual increase of 1.52%. China is ready to work with Fiji and other Pacific Island Countries to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, vigorously promote regional economic integration and connectivity, dismantle barriers that fragment trade, investment, technology and service flows, and maintain stable and unimpeded industrial and supply chains. We will jointly uphold the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, and advance economic globalization toward a more just, prosperous and mutually beneficial direction.

History and reality have repeatedly proved one truth: there are no winners in trade wars or tariff battles. Protectionism leads nowhere, and upholding the multilateral trading system remains the only right path forward. Amid the rising tide of unilateralism and protectionism, China and Fiji must stand in solidarity to defend the multilateral trading system, promote inclusive and equitable economic globalization, and walk side by side on the path of mutual benefit. Together, we must say NO to the "tariff stick" and trade protectionism!