The signed article titled “Upholding Stability, Sharing Opportunities: China's ‘The World Needs Fairness, Not Hegemony” by Ambassador Wang Lutong was published in Antara News Indonesia. The full text is as follows:
The U.S. government recently imposed exorbitant tariffs on goods imported from multiple countries, including China and Indonesia, severely infringing upon the legitimate rights and interests of these nations, violating World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, and causing massive disruptions to regional industrial chains and the global free trade order. In response, the Chinese government issued China’s Position on Opposing U.S. Abuse of Tariffs on April 5, 2025, unequivocally condemning and firmly opposing America’s unilateral and protectionist actions. The world needs fairness, not hegemony!
The Ghost of Unilateralism Has Never Brought Prosperity
In today’s highly globalized world, the U.S. tactic of using tariffs to pressure other nations will inevitably provoke widespread backlash and severely damage the multilateral trading system. This echoes the 1930 Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, when the U.S. drastically raised tariffs, triggering retaliatory measures globally and plunging international trade into a decade-long slump amid the Great Depression. As the world’s largest developed country, the U.S. should contribute positively to global economic stability, rather than disregard multilateral agreements, prioritize its own interests above international rules, and sacrifice other nations’ right to development for geopolitical gains.
As a matter of fact, tariffs will neither resolve America’s trade deficit nor “Make America Great Again.” Instead, they harm its own citizens. A glance at U.S. economics textbooks and history reveals that unilateralism has never fostered prosperity—the ultimate costs are borne by domestic consumers and businesses. Since launching the trade war against China in 2018, the U.S. has never succeeded to revive domestic manufacturing or reduce its trade deficit. Instead, it has triggered supply chain disruptions, rising costs, and inflationary pressures. Protectionism cannot solve structural economic issues, it is a lose-lose strategy.
Development Is a Universal Right for All Nations
Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia are renowned for their open markets, dynamic manufacturing sectors, and export-driven economies. The latest U.S. tariff list targets multiple nations in the region, covering electronics, agricultural products, chemicals, and more, posing systemic risks to regional supply chains. Indonesia faces tariffs as high as 32%, which will severely impact trade, investment, industrial chains, SMEs, and employment.
Development is not the privilege of a few but a universal right of all nations. In this era of globalization, every country plays a unique role in the international division of labor and deserves the opportunity to integrate into global value chains, access technology transfers, and expand market share. Artificially erected barriers and suppression violate fairness and justice and are unsustainable. A nation that builds walls for itself while refusing to pave roads for others—showing no mercy even to allies—will ultimately lose both momentum and partners.
Countering Trade Uncertainty with Development Certainty
Seven years into the U.S. initiated trade war, China’s economy has not been crippled. Instead, it has entered a phase of high-quality development. In 2024, China’s GDP reached approximately 135 trillion yuan (about $18.7 trillion), growing by 5% year-on-year, outperforming other major economies and contributing around 30% to global economic growth. This underscores the resilience and vitality of China’s economy. China’s stable social environment, consistent policy framework, and continuously optimized business climate provide long-term confidence for domestic and foreign enterprises. This year, international organizations like the OECD and financial institutions have upgraded their growth forecasts for China, viewing its “certainty” as a stabilizing force against U.S. “uncertainty.”
As the world’s second-largest economy and consumer market, China will only widen its doors to the world however the international environment changes. China remains committed to high-standard opening-up, expanding institutional openness in rules, regulations, management, and standards, implementing liberalized trade and investment policies, and fostering a world-class, market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment. China stands ready to share development opportunities and achieve mutual benefits with the world.
Unity and Cooperation to Overcome Challenges
Multilateralism is the inevitable path to addressing global challenges, and economic globalization remains an unstoppable historical trend. Capitulating to U.S. bullying and extortion will only embolden its reckless behavior. As leading developing countries and emerging markets, China and Indonesia must unite with the “Global South” to oppose U.S. tariff abuses and trade wars within fora like the G20, APEC, BRICS, WTO, and urge the U.S. to abandon its zero-sum mindset, revoke unilateral tariffs, and return to dialogue and cooperation. Together, we must uphold justice, safeguard common interests, and secure a brighter future for all.
Only through solidarity can we ensure trade remains a bridge, not a wall. Only by upholding true multilateralism and defending the multilateral trading system can we steer globalization toward openness, inclusiveness, and shared prosperity. Only through unity can we overcome adversity.