Beijing dismisses Trump’s tariff threats as ‘blackmail’
China has rejected President Donald Trump’s threat to impose an additional 50% tariff, dismissing it as “blackmail” and vowing to “fight to the end” if the U.S. persists. Despite these concerns, Asian markets rebounded today after yesterday’s steep losses, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 gaining over 6% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index recovering from its worst day since the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Beijing implemented several measures to stabilize stocks, including purchases by state-run firms and China’s sovereign wealth fund. Meanwhile, numerous countries, including Japan, South Korea, Australia, and Vietnam, have reached out to the U.S. administration to negotiate exemptions, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicating that 50 to 70 countries have initiated contact regarding potential deals.