MBABANE: China has called United States(US) Vice-President JD Vance “ignorant and impolite" after he said America had been borrowing money from "Chinese peasants", the British Broadcasting Corporation(BBC) reported on Tuesday afternoon.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters on Tuesday that Vance’s comments-which had already caused a stir on Chinese social media-were “surprising and sad”.
Vance made the comments on Thursday, during an interview on Fox News where he defended United States US President Donald Trump's tariffs-which are currently fuelling tensions between the world's two largest economies.
"We borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture," the Vice-president said as quoted by the BBC.
But on Monday, Trump gave China-one of the world's largest holders of US Treasury bonds-until Tuesday to scrap its 34% counter tariff or face an additional 50% tax on goods imported into the US.
“If Trump acts on his threat, US companies could face a total rate of 104% on Chinese imports-as it comes on top of 20% tariffs already put in place in March and the 34% announced last week.
China said it will fight to the end as it called Trump's moves bullying amid the escalating trade war.
“China's position on China-US economic and trade relations has been made very clear," Lin said on Tuesday.
China blasts US Vice President JD Vance over “peasants” statements as global trade war escalates, Trump threatens to impose 50% on goods imported from Beijing(Getty Images via BBC).