Chinese President Xi Jinping warned of the serious repercussions of tariff wars on the global trade system, stating that they undermine multilateral frameworks and inflict significant damage on the legitimate interests of all nations. His remarks came during a meeting in Beijing with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency.

Xi stated, “Tariffs and trade wars cause considerable harm to the legitimate rights and interests of all countries and destabilize the global economic system.” He emphasized the need to preserve free trade and international cooperation in the face of escalating tensions.

The Chinese president’s comments follow an escalating trade dispute between China and the United States that began in early April. The U.S. administration imposed 34% tariffs on Chinese imports, in addition to a previously implemented 20%.

In response, Beijing imposed reciprocal 34% tariffs on American goods. Washington then raised tariffs to 50%, bringing the total to 104%. China retaliated by increasing its tariffs to 84%, prompting the U.S. to further raise tariffs to 125% on Chinese products—raising concerns over a continued escalation that could disrupt the global economy.