China, Europe should stand together to oppose arbitrary tariffs: Chinese Foreign Minister

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on September 15, 2025. Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

China and Europe should stand together to oppose the arbitrary tariffs that violate international trade rules and harm the legitimate interests of all countries. In the face of unilateral bullying, compromise offers no way out, and acting as an accomplice will eventually harm one's own interests, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday in Warsaw, the final stop of his ongoing European tour that include three Central and Eastern European countries Austria, Slovenia and Poland.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Wang said that both China and Poland are nations of self-reliance and resilience, committed to independence and having forged development paths suited to their own national conditions through hardships.

Poland was among the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China and among the first to sign cooperation documents on the Belt and Road Initiative with China, he noted.

"China attaches great importance to Poland's role in Europe and consistently regards China-Poland relations as an important part of China-Europe ties," according to Wang. Since establishing diplomatic relations, the two countries have cultivated a friendship built on mutual respect, equality, win-win cooperation and mutual learning, a bond that is "especially valuable" amid today's turbulent international situation and deserves to be cherished, Wang added, according to Xinhua.

As China and Poland approach the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic partnership next year, the Chinese top diplomat called on the two countries to build on historical experience, carry forward their friendship, uphold mutual respect, accommodate each other's core interests and work together to ensure the steady, undisturbed growth of bilateral ties.

Poland is the final stop of Wang's ongoing European tour, spanning across three Central and Eastern European countries from September 12 to 16. In late June and early July, the Chinese foreign minister also paid a visit to three Western European countries Belgium, France and Germany, and held the 13th round of the China-EU High-Level Strategic Dialogue with the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas.

"Over the past few days I have held extensive exchanges with European friends and gained a deep sense of the challenges facing the continent," Wang told his Polish counterpart on Monday.

The more complex and turbulent the international situation becomes, the more China, Poland and Europe should uphold the original aspiration at the time of the establishment of their diplomatic ties, stick to their partnership positioning, strengthen solidarity and coordination, safeguard their legitimate rights and interests, and uphold international fairness and justice, Wang added, per Xinhua.

For his part, Sikorski said a tariff war ignores World Trade Organization rules, undermines the stability of industrial and supply chains and serves no one's interests.

Poland attaches great importance to its relations with China, and firmly adheres to the one-China policy, Sikorski said.

Poland is ready to give full play to the role of the Poland-China Intergovernmental Committee, enhance exchanges at all levels, and expand cooperation in economy, trade and people-to-people exchanges, especially on major projects such as new energy vehicles.

Noting that the current international governance system no longer fits changes in the international balance of power, he said Poland values the Global Governance Initiative proposed by China, and is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with China to advance reform and improvement of the global governance system.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis. Wang said China is ready to maintain close communication with Poland and all relevant parties to promote the conclusion of a comprehensive, lasting and binding peace agreement, and hopes that Poland, as an important country in Europe, will proceed from the fundamental and long-term interests of itself and of Europe, and play a constructive role in promoting a political settlement of the crisis.

Wang's visit is seen by some Chinese experts as an important step to deepen pragmatic cooperation with Central and Eastern European countries, while also helping to build trust and broaden space for engagement in China-EU relations.

For his first stop, Austria, Jiang Feng, a research fellow at Shanghai International Studies University and president of the Shanghai Association of Regional and Country Studies, highlighted its neutral stance emphasizing rationality and balance. Austria's historical links between Central, Eastern and Western Europe also give its engagement with China broader "spillover effects," enhancing mutual understanding across the whole region, Jiang told the Global Times.

As for his trip to Slovenia, Jiang said the bilateral cooperation truly reflected the principle of equality between countries, regardless of size. "By pursuing an independent foreign policy, Slovenia has been able to take a rational and pragmatic approach, which sets an example for how small and medium-sized European states can engage with China on the basis of mutual respect and shared interests," Jiang noted.

While Poland, the final leg of his tour, holds significant political, security, and economic influence as a major Eastern European power, and cooperation with Poland is crucial for guiding the overall direction of China-Europe ties, the expert added.