[Beijing warns countries against colluding with the US to restrict trade with China]

(CNN) Beijing has warned its trading partners not to yield to pressure from the United States in exchange for an exemption from President Donald Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs, which aim to restrict trade with China.

A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce made comments on Monday regarding media reports about the U.S. plans to use tariff negotiations to isolate China's economy. The statement read: "Appeasement does not bring peace, and compromise does not earn respect."

"Seeking so-called exemptions at the expense of others to pursue temporary self-interest is like trying to get tiger skin; ultimately, it will gain nothing and harm both others and oneself," the spokesperson stated in the declaration.

"China firmly opposes any side reaching an agreement at the expense of China's interests. If such a situation arises, China will not accept it and will resolutely take retaliatory countermeasures." The spokesperson added.

On April 9, Trump suspended the "reciprocal" tariffs for most countries for 90 days while fully focusing the trade war on China, increasing the tariffs on Chinese imports to a shocking 145%.

Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration plans to use ongoing tariff negotiations to pressure its trading partners to limit transactions with China, citing anonymous sources familiar with the discussions.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. government's idea is to obtain commitments from its trading partners to isolate China's economy in exchange for the White House reducing trade and tariff barriers. This includes requiring countries to ban the transportation of Chinese goods through their territories, preventing Chinese enterprises from setting up operations within their borders to circumvent U.S. tariffs, and excluding China's low-cost industrial products from their economic systems.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830004852625420/

Disclaimer: This article solely represents the author's views.