Photo: gb.china-embassy.gov.cn

 
The US is simply trying to turn back the clock, and bring back the dark age when the law of the jungle prevailed, Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang said at the Tianjin investment environment promotion conference in London on Thursday.

Ambassador Zheng, Vice Mayor of Tianjin Zhai Lixin, Chairman of the China-Britain Business Council Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, and nearly 200 representatives from various sectors of China and the UK were in attendance at Thursday's conference.  

At the conference, Zheng shared his views on the US' so-called reciprocal tariffs and offered his outlook on the China-UK relations. 

Zheng denounced the "reciprocal tariffs," stressing that this is in flagrant violation of WTO rules, and a reckless act of unilateralism, protectionism and trade bullying. It has dealt a devastating blow to the multilateral trading system and the global economy, seriously undermining the interests of all countries.

He noted that the US is simply trying to turn back the clock and bring back the dark age when the law of the jungle prevailed. 

"People around the world are seeing more clearly which country is the disruptor of the international order and a saboteur of the multilateral system," he said. He emphasized that China resolutely opposes this and has taken necessary countermeasures.

While the US tariffs wreak havoc, China is opening its doors wider, welcoming businesses from all countries to invest and fostering a favorable environment for foreign investment.

China's overall tariff level has been reduced to 7.3 percent. It was announced jointly by three government agencies on Thursday that the negative list for market access will be further shortened, from 117 items to 106, Zheng said. 

The Chinese diplomat welcomed companies from around the world, including the UK, to join in China's development and achieve mutual benefit.

"I am delighted that senior UK officials have been making the case for a deeper partnership with China. Indeed, it will be foolish to not engage with China," he said 

"There is abundant space for practical cooperation between China and the UK. I hope that the Chinese and British governments will work in the same direction, to create a predictable, just, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for companies of the two countries to cooperate," Zheng said.