Tensions between China and the United States have escalated further after US Vice President J.D. Vance referred to “Chinese peasants” while defending President Donald Trump’s steep new tariffs.
In a Fox News interview on Thursday, Vance said, “We borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture,” a remark that has sparked backlash from Beijing and across Chinese social media.
Responding at a press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian condemned the comments as “ignorant and impolite,” adding, “It is surprising and sad to hear such words from this vice president.” Lin emphasized that China’s position on trade has been made “very clear” and reaffirmed that it will stand firm against what it calls US “bullying.”
Vance’s comment struck a nerve partly because China is one of the largest holders of US Treasury bonds — meaning it effectively lends the US money — and because many in China saw the phrasing as condescending and outdated.
On Chinese social media platform Weibo, users expressed outrage. “As a key figure in the US government, it is really shameful for Vance to say such things,” one wrote. Another mocked Vance by referencing his memoir: “Isn’t his book called ‘Hillbilly Elegy’? That explains a lot.”
The row comes just as Trump threatened China with an additional 50% tariff on top of existing duties unless it backs down from its retaliatory 34% countertariff. If fully implemented, US businesses could face a combined tariff rate of 104% on Chinese goods, threatening to upend trade flows and drive up consumer prices.
China has promised to “fight to the end,” with officials vowing not to yield to pressure.
The tit-for-tat tariffs have already begun to shake global markets. Asian stock exchanges saw their steepest declines in decades, and analysts warn that the mounting trade war could tip both the US and global economies into recession.
Despite the economic risks, Trump and Vance maintain that the tariffs are necessary to protect American industry and assert economic sovereignty. But economists, global institutions, and even some US business leaders warn the policy could severely damage supply chains and push inflation even higher.
With both countries digging in their heels, the prospect of a near-term resolution appears bleak.