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🇸🇬 Singapore /Economy & Trade

China media hails Canada’s ‘Chinese-style’ tariff retaliation

From The Straits Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • China's Global Times praised Canada's retaliatory tariffs against the US as a "Chinese-style counter attack."
  • The state-run tabloid argued that Canada's move validates Beijing's stance against US protectionism and shows allies are not exempt from US tariffs.
  • The editorial highlighted a warming relationship between China and Canada, contrasting it with past tensions under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

China's state-run tabloid Global Times has lauded Canada's decision to retaliate against U.S. tariffs, framing Ottawa's move as a "Chinese-style counter attack" that validates Beijing's opposition to American protectionism. The editorial, published on August 24, suggested that more countries are realizing concessions toward the U.S. do not guarantee respect or stability.

more countries are realising that concessions toward the US do not necessarily bring respect and stability.

— Global TimesThe Chinese tabloid argued that Canada's retaliatory tariffs demonstrate a growing awareness among nations that appeasing the U.S. does not guarantee favorable treatment.

The commentary comes after Canada walked away from trade negotiations with the U.S. over the weekend, with both nations blaming each other for last-minute changes. The U.S. plans to impose 50% tariffs on approximately $20 billion of Canadian goods, prompting Ottawa's pledge to retaliate on a "dollar-for-dollar" basis starting September 8.

the kind of things that China would do.

— Jamieson GreerThe Global Times cited U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer's comparison of Canada's retaliatory measures to actions typically taken by China.

The Global Times cited U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer's comparison of Canada's measures to "the kind of things that China would do." The newspaper interpreted this remark as an acknowledgment of U.S. policy failures and argued that the dispute demonstrates that even U.S. allies, such as Canada, the EU, Japan, or South Korea, are not immune to Washington's tariff strategies.

the failure of US policy.

— Global TimesThe newspaper interpreted Greer's comment as an admission of the ineffectiveness of U.S. trade policies.

Beijing has consistently positioned its own retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. as a matter of reciprocity and a defense of the international trading system. While a trade truce was agreed upon after previous negotiations, tensions persist over technology and other economic restrictions. Relations between China and Canada have notably warmed since Prime Minister Mark Carney came to power, marked by a broad agreement to lower trade barriers during Carney's 2026 visit to China. This engagement represents a significant shift from the strained relations during former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's tenure, which were marked by disputes over trade, foreign interference, and other issues.

Today it is Canada; tomorrow it could be the EU, and the day after, Japan or South Korea.

— Global TimesThe Global Times warned that other U.S. allies could face similar tariff actions, highlighting the broad reach of American protectionist policies.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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