Kerry Allen

China's Ministry of Commerce has said that the door is open to talks with the US, but it regards the action in recent days as bullying China. So I'm seeing messaging today from the government saying that dialogue must be conducted on equal footing and on the basis of mutual respect. And there is a hope that the US and China will meet each other halfway.

China's Ministry of Commerce has said that the door is open to talks with the US, but it regards the action in recent days as bullying China. So I'm seeing messaging today from the government saying that dialogue must be conducted on equal footing and on the basis of mutual respect. And there is a hope that the US and China will meet each other halfway.

Another message that's very strongly coming out in state media is that if the US wants to get involved in a tariff or trade war with China, it will not back down. There's a lot of messaging stressing that China will fight to the end.

Another message that's very strongly coming out in state media is that if the US wants to get involved in a tariff or trade war with China, it will not back down. There's a lot of messaging stressing that China will fight to the end.

Well, it's difficult to know online because on social media platforms like Sina Weibo, which is China's equivalent of a platform like X or Facebook, you've got a situation where you've got click farms that put out patriotic messaging. You've also got censorship. So it's difficult to gauge how ordinary people feel.

Well, it's difficult to know online because on social media platforms like Sina Weibo, which is China's equivalent of a platform like X or Facebook, you've got a situation where you've got click farms that put out patriotic messaging. You've also got censorship. So it's difficult to gauge how ordinary people feel.

But at the same time, what I'm seeing today is video footage of ordinary Chinese in Beijing talking about how they feel.

But at the same time, what I'm seeing today is video footage of ordinary Chinese in Beijing talking about how they feel.

Yeah, absolutely. And this is something that Chinese media often do. They will draw on historical clips and say that the US in particular should learn from history. So there have been clips that have been pretty much going viral today in China. One of them is historical footage of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong saying, no matter how long a war lasts, we will never yield.

Yeah, absolutely. And this is something that Chinese media often do. They will draw on historical clips and say that the US in particular should learn from history. So there have been clips that have been pretty much going viral today in China. One of them is historical footage of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong saying, no matter how long a war lasts, we will never yield.

And China's foreign ministry spokeswoman has been sharing this.

And China's foreign ministry spokeswoman has been sharing this.

Well, I think it seems very clear that China isn't afraid to back down. And there's just this messaging that if the US does want this fight, that China will keep on fighting back. And Chinese people feel that it will win. So I think we're expected to see more of this if Trump decides to up the ante even further.

Well, I think it seems very clear that China isn't afraid to back down. And there's just this messaging that if the US does want this fight, that China will keep on fighting back. And Chinese people feel that it will win. So I think we're expected to see more of this if Trump decides to up the ante even further.

This has been a major talking point today in Chinese media. So China's foreign ministry spokesman called the comments surprising and sad. He said that the perceptions of China were ignorant and impolite. And on social media platforms, people are very much commenting with regards to Vance. They're saying it takes one to know one.

This has been a major talking point today in Chinese media. So China's foreign ministry spokesman called the comments surprising and sad. He said that the perceptions of China were ignorant and impolite. And on social media platforms, people are very much commenting with regards to Vance. They're saying it takes one to know one.

I'm seeing comments from users saying that they perceive he's arrogant and rude. Some say that he could be potentially be banned from coming to China amidst such comments. And one comment that's received tens of thousands of likes is from a user saying that he looks like an expired egg.

I'm seeing comments from users saying that they perceive he's arrogant and rude. Some say that he could be potentially be banned from coming to China amidst such comments. And one comment that's received tens of thousands of likes is from a user saying that he looks like an expired egg.

It's pretty common in Western society to see celebrities hounded by paparazzi, and there are plenty of tabloid magazines devoted to celebrity gossip. Reading them can be a bit of a guilty pleasure. But this kind of culture is something that the Chinese government is increasingly keen to crack down on, seemingly due to worries that it could spin out of control.

It's pretty common in Western society to see celebrities hounded by paparazzi, and there are plenty of tabloid magazines devoted to celebrity gossip. Reading them can be a bit of a guilty pleasure. But this kind of culture is something that the Chinese government is increasingly keen to crack down on, seemingly due to worries that it could spin out of control.