MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

China slams Trump for the trade disputes but says Beijing will act in a calm, rational manner

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said erecting walls will not resolve global challenges, and blaming others does not work. “The lessons of the Great Depression should not be forgotten.”

China's top diplomat said on Friday that tariffs and trade disputes could plunge the world into recession and Beijing was committed to resolving them in a “calm, rational and cooperative manner.”

In a blunt speech to the annual United Nations General Assembly, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said: “Erecting walls will not resolve global challenges, and blaming others for one's own problems does not work. The lessons of the Great Depression should not be forgotten.”

In a clear swipe at US President Donald Trump, who started a damaging trade war on China nearly 15 months ago, Wang added: “Tariffs and provocation of trade disputes, which upset global industrial and supply chains, serve to undermine the multilateral trade regime and global economic and trade order.

”They may even plunge the world into recession.”

In successive round of tit-for-tat tariffs between the United States and China have levied punitive duties on hundreds of billions of each other's goods, roiling financial markets and threatening global growth.

A new round of high-level talks between the two sides is expected in Washington in the first half of October.