China strongly criticized recent U.S. actions it claims are detrimental to Chinese interests on Monday. These include new guidelines restricting exports of AI chips, a ban on selling chip design software to China, and a plan to revoke visas for Chinese students.
“These actions seriously violate the understanding reached in trade talks held in Geneva last month,” China’s Commerce Ministry stated.
The criticism refers to a joint agreement in which the U.S. and China pledged to ease trade tensions by reducing the steep tariffs each side had imposed. However, despite this temporary truce, fundamental disagreements remain unresolved, as highlighted by the latest tensions.
The 90-day agreement was intended to allow both sides time to negotiate a more lasting resolution. Yet, while tariffs were lowered, they still remain elevated compared to earlier levels, contributing to continued uncertainty for global businesses and investors.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirmed that the U.S. had agreed to reduce a tariff rate from 145% to 30%, while China lowered its own rate on American imports from 125% to 10%.
According to the Commerce Ministry, China upheld its side of the deal by rolling back tariffs and other trade measures. In contrast, it accused the U.S. of reigniting tensions with new restrictions and undermining the fragile trade relationship.
“The U.S. has unilaterally instigated new economic and trade conflicts, increasing instability and uncertainty in our bilateral ties,” the ministry said. It added that China would “take firm and strong actions to protect its lawful rights and interests.”
In response to recent remarks by former President Donald Trump, China pushed back against his accusations. “Instead of examining its own actions, the U.S. has wrongly blamed China for breaking the deal—claims that have no basis in fact,” the statement read.
Trump had escalated rhetoric on Friday, posting on social media that China had “totally violated” the trade agreement and announcing he would no longer deal gently with Beijing. Later that day, he said he hoped to resolve the issue in talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, while maintaining his criticism.
Adding to the friction, the Trump administration last week revealed plans to begin revoking U.S. student visas for Chinese nationals. Over 275,000 Chinese students are currently enrolled in American universities.
The U.S. and China are locked in a broader competition over cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence. Washington has been working to limit China’s access to the latest chip technology, while Beijing seeks to assert dominance in the Asia-Pacific region—including over Taiwan, a key U.S. partner and global tech hub.