‘Ignorant and disrespectful’: Beijing slams U.S. Vice President comments on ‘Chinese peasants’

Beijing strongly criticized U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance after he referred to the Chinese people as “peasants” in a recent interview on Fox News. His remarks, made last Thursday, were part of his defense of President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on Chinese goods. These comments have made the already strained relationship between the two economic superpowers even worse.

The trade war, involving both sides repeatedly raising tariffs on each other’s products, could cause even more instability in global markets. Vance’s statement—where he said the U.S. was borrowing money from “Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants make”—was quickly condemned by the Chinese government, per CNN.

The Guardian reported that Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said of the Vice President’s words, “It’s both astonishing and lamentable to hear this vice-president make such ignorant and disrespectful remarks.” Lin Jian also repeated China’s stance on trade relations with the U.S., stressing that pressure, threats, and intimidation are not acceptable ways to handle disagreements.

China takes offense to JD Vance’s statements

To understand why this diplomatic clash is so serious, it’s important to look at the bigger picture. President Trump recently announced major new tariffs on several trading partners, including a 34% increase on Chinese imports. This came after a 20% tariff hike in March. China reacted right away by putting a 34% tariff on all U.S. goods entering their country. Per BBC, Trump warned that if China didn’t remove these retaliatory tariffs by April 8, 2025, he would add another 50% tariff on Chinese products—bringing the total to 104%.

This growing trade war is causing major problems worldwide. The tariffs have already disrupted global supply chains and caused big drops in stock markets, some of the worst in years. Banks and financial experts around the world are worried that the conflict could push the global economy into a recession.

In China, the response has been strong and widespread. While the government officially focused on how insulting Vance’s words were, people on social media reacted in different ways—some were angry, while others made sarcastic comments mocking the idea of China being a nation of “peasants.”

Many posts pointed out China’s progress in technology, such as high-speed trains, artificial intelligence, self-driving cars, and drones, as a way to counter Vance’s remark. Some even demanded that Vance be banned from entering China.

This situation shows just how tense U.S.-China trade relations have become. There’s a real risk that things could get worse, which would have serious consequences for the global economy and international politics. What happens next depends on how China responds to Trump’s deadline and whether both sides take even more aggressive steps against each other.