China's Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yongqian Photo: Yin Yeping/GT

Asked to comment on reports that the US Customs and Border Protection has begun processing refunds for tariffs on April 20, and asked how China will safeguard the interests of its exporters, Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yongqian said on Thursday that China has taken note of the relevant situation and has consistently opposed any form of unilateral imposition of additional tariffs. 

The US' unilateral measures, such as reciprocal tariffs and fentanyl tariffs, violate international trade rules and US domestic law, undermine the global trade order, and are not in the interests of any party, He noted.  

The US tariff refund measures are a beneficial step in correcting the wrong path, He said, noting that the tariffs were collected by the US from US importers and are ultimately borne by US consumers. 

"We advise Chinese exporters to actively communicate with relevant stakeholders, taking into account their own circumstances, to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests," the spokesperson said. 

Global Times