China on Tuesday lashed out at US vice president JD Vance, calling him “ignorant and impolite” after he made a controversial remark about the United States borrowing money from “Chinese peasants.”
“China’s position on China-US economic and trade relations has been made very clear,” said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during a press briefing. “It is surprising and sad to hear such ignorant and impolite words from this vice president,” he added.
Vance’s comment came during an interview with Fox News, where he defended the Trump administration’s tough trade stance, including sweeping tariffs that have roiled global markets.
Speaking in support of those measures, Vance said: “We borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture.”
“That is not a recipe for economic prosperity. It’s not a recipe for low prices, and it’s not a recipe for good jobs in the United States of America,” he added.
President Donald Trump has continued to double down on his tariff-driven approach, arguing it will bring back American manufacturing by compelling foreign firms to shift production to the US Despite rising concerns over global economic stability and a sharp market downturn, Trump has rejected calls to soften his trade policies.
However, many economists remain skeptical, criticising the tariffs as arbitrary and warning that they could do more harm than good.