China strongly warned countries against reducing trade with China to obtain relief from US tariffs, threatening countermeasures against any nation that does so. The Ministry of Commerce stated that such actions would result in a lose-lose scenario, emphasizing their opposition to any deal that compromises China's interests.
While the Trump administration hasn't officially confirmed pressuring countries to limit trade with China for tariff relief, President Trump hinted at this possibility in a Fox News interview. He suggested that Latin American countries might be compelled to choose between Chinese and American investments.
The US was China's largest single-country market before the latest tariffs. However, China has been actively diversifying its export markets to mitigate risks associated with rising tensions with the US.