Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has cautioned the United States against acting recklessly in international affairs, warning that such actions contribute to global instability. Wang made the statement during a meeting with Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in Beijing on Friday.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, criticized what he described as “unilateral bullying” by a major global power, without naming the US directly. “The recent tariff moves by the United States reflect a disregard for the multilateral trading system and global rules,” Wang said, according to Xinhua News Agency.

He stressed that China would firmly defend both its national interests and the broader interests of the international community, vowing to resist a return to a “jungle world where might makes right.”

Wang called on the global community to stand united in upholding international law and order, especially as the 80th anniversary of the United Nations approaches. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a global system centered on the UN.

Earlier on Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping echoed similar sentiments, warning that “there is no winner in a tariff war” and that isolation awaits those who act against the global order. Xi made the remarks following a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing.

China also announced retaliatory tariffs on US goods starting April 12, raising the total effective rate to 125%, in response to US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a 145% tariff on Chinese imports.

Xi asserted that China’s progress has always been based on self-reliance, adding, “We have never depended on the mercy of others, and we do not fear unreasonable suppression.”