Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson calls US a 'barbarian of the 21st century'

U.S. president Donald Trump recently announced a complete 90-day pause on all the “reciprocal” tariffs that went into effect at midnight on Apr. 9, with the exception of China.

Trump initially said tariffs for China will be increased to 125 per cent from 104 per cent after they announced additional retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. earlier Wednesday.

It later turned out that it was actually 145 per cent.

China has not taken this lying down, imposing a 84 per cent tariff on U.S. goods.

According to CNN, the announcement of China's tariffs came with a statement denouncing the U.S. decision to impose more tariffs as a "mistake upon mistake".

Trump had said earlier this week that Chinese president Xi Jingping was a "proud man" and that China wanted to make a deal but "don't know how quite to go about it" but that "they'll figure it out".

The war of words showed no sign of stopping with one of the latest salvos coming from an open letter published in South China Morning Post by Huang Jingrui, a spokesperson from the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong.

In the letter, Huang took aim at Trump's claim that China wants to make a deal, but did not know how to get things started.

Huang said:

"The reality is that it is the U.S. side that does not know how to get it started. Nor does it understand the art of dealing with China or other countries. Instead, it is obsessed with the “art” of bullying and blackmailing the entire world."

This was followed up with the retort that the U.S. was a "barbarian" in the 21st century:

"We must solemnly tell the U.S.: a tariff-wielding barbarian who attempts to force countries to call and beg for mercy can never expect that call from China."

Huang continued by saying the only way for a deal to be reached is for the U.S. to "correct it's practices" and adopt "the right attitude of equality, respect and mutual benefit".

Reiterating that if these steps were not taken, China will "fight to the end", which is a similar rhetoric used by Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.

Image from Donald Trump Facebook