The Chinese Embassy in Mexico on Saturday firmly rejected US politician Peter Navarro's public smearing of Chinese exports, calling such remarks "extremely despicable," according to an announcement published on the embassy's website.

The remarks came after Peter Navarro, the White House's senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, published an article on Mexican media in which he openly smeared Chinese exports, claiming that Mexico's decision to raise tariffs on China and other Asian countries marked "a major milestone in President Trump's trade revolution — and in the postwar international trading system itself," and calling on "US allies to follow Mexico's lead."

Such remarks are extremely despicable, and the Chinese Embassy in Mexico expresses its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition, the embassy said.

Photo: Screenshot of Chinese Embassy in Mexico's website

 
The embassy said Navarro, a right-wing politician with a notorious track record, has long sought to politicize and weaponize economic and trade issues, essentially creating public-opinion cover for hegemonism. 

Since World War II, the US, as a major beneficiary of the global economic and trading system, should have shouldered responsibility for promoting global cooperation and safeguarding international trade. Instead, today's US-style hegemony has intensified, attempting to reshape international trade rules through unilateralism and economic coercion, while deliberately exporting failed models to Latin American countries, said the embassy.

The embassy further noted that openness brings progress, while isolation leads to backwardness. China has consistently advocated resolving economic and trade differences through equal dialogue and consultation and opposes all forms of unilateralism, protectionism, and discriminatory or exclusionary measures. China firmly opposes any actions that harm its legitimate interests, the embassy said. 

In the face of growing uncertainty in the global economy, China remains unwavering in its commitment to building an open world economy, the embassy said, noting that it welcomes all countries to share in the opportunities of China's development, benefit from its vast market, and achieve mutual success and common development through deeper integration of interests.

We urge Navarro and the like to seriously reflect on their mistakes, put an end to their political manipulation and self-deceiving performances, and return to the right track as soon as possible, the embassy said. 

Global Times