US-China tariff war: Beijing calls for more trade with ‘friends’ amid Jinping’s Vietnam tour

China will trade with more friends and become a stronger magnet for investment, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday (April 15). Facing external uncertainties, China will stay committed to joining hands rather than "throwing punches," Lin Jian, a ministry spokesperson, told a regular press briefing when asked about the China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) being held in China's southern Hainan province this week. China's remarks come as Sino-U.S. trade tensions have intensified after Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on April 2, leading to tit-for-tat duties on each other's goods.