JD Vance was defending the Trump administration’s new global tariffs. While trying to explain the reasoning behind them, he said something that caused a big stir. He claimed, “We borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture.”
“We borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture” pic.twitter.com/OG3sj5m0CE
— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) April 3, 2025
He said this was not a sound system for America’s future.
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China did not stay quiet. A spokesperson from China’s foreign ministry, Lin Jian, said the comments were “ignorant and impolite.” He added, “It is surprising and sad to hear such ignorant and impolite words from this vice president.”
“Ignorant and Impolite.” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has just responded to JD Vance’s ridiculous remarks. https://t.co/l5DxRmCHZD pic.twitter.com/aSLEG8oC0F
— Li Zexin (@XH_Lee23) April 8, 2025
So, what caused all of this?
Last week, President Trump announced a new set of massive tariffs. China was hit the hardest. A 34 percent tax was added to all Chinese imports on top of an existing 20 percent tariff. China quickly responded by adding the same tax on American goods. Now, both countries are caught in another trade fight.
Trump has said that these tariffs are about fairness. He believes foreign countries have taken advantage of the United States. But many economists disagree. They say this strategy is risky and can hurt American families.
Ryan Hass, a policy expert from the Brookings Institution, explained that China is ready to fight back. He said their leaders are preparing the public for economic pain. He says President Xi Jinping does not want to look weak and will not easily give in to Trump’s demands.
1/ Based on ongoing discussions in China, I am skeptical Beijing will blink on Pres. Trump’s recent tariff escalation threats. Chinese leaders understand holding firm will be economically costly. They’re preparing public to tolerate pain. Politics may drive decisions. (🧵).
— Ryan Hass (@ryanl_hass) April 8, 2025
China’s state media also had a lot to say. The Global Times, which is known to support the Chinese government, called Trump’s actions “bullying” and “political blackmail.” They warned that this could hurt the global economy.
Meanwhile, China surprised many by sharing a video of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. In the video, Reagan warned against using tariffs, saying they could damage America’s economy. China’s message was clear. Even a Republican hero once knew that trade wars are dangerous.
The big problem with Vance’s comment is not just the word “peasants.” It is about the attitude behind it. Calling foreign workers names does not solve anything. It only makes things worse.
Many Chinese workers are part of a modern and growing economy. They are not peasants. They are factory workers, engineers, and business owners. Using old and offensive words to describe them shows a profound misunderstanding of how global trade works today.
Even worse, this kind of language makes it harder to fix the real problems. If American leaders want better trade deals, they need innovative strategies, not insults. Diplomacy is about respect, not name-calling. Leaders need to act like it if the goal is to help America.
Featured image via Screengrab
