Trump Threatens Additional Tariffs Related to Iran, China: There Are No Winners in the Tariff War

China on Tuesday reiterated it would protect its rights and interests, after US President Donald Trump announced additional tariffs of 25 percent for any country doing business with Iran.

"We have always believed that there are no winners in a tariff war, and China will resolutely protect its legitimate rights and interests," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said at a regular press conference when asked about Trump's tariff announcement, Al Arabiya reported (14/1).

Previously, President Donald Trump said on Monday that countries doing business with Iran would face new US tariffs of 25 percent.

"Effective immediately, any country that does business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a 25 percent tariff on every and all business done with the United States," Trump wrote on Truth Social, CNN reported.

"This order is final and binding," he added.

President Trump himself did not define what was included in the category of "doing business" with Iran in his post.

However, the upload raised a number of questions, including how these additional tariffs could be applied, which countries would be targeted, and whether services and not just goods would be subject to higher import duties.

This policy could have an impact on China as Iran's main trading partner and the US. These new tariffs could mean a minimum tariff of 45 percent for goods from China compared to the current tariff of 20 percent.

Responding to Trump's announcement, the Chinese Embassy in Washington said Monday night that Beijing "resolutely opposes all unilateral sanctions that violate the law" and that they would take "all necessary measures to protect its legitimate rights and interests."

"Tariff wars and trade wars have no winners, and coercion and pressure cannot solve problems," said embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu in X.