China is helping Tonga enhance capability of dealing with its most pressing issue of climate change, while Tonga is an indispensable partner in China's efforts to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Chinese Ambassador to Tonga Liu Weimin said.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) in Nuku'alofa, which was aired on Monday, the ambassador said the bilateral relations between China and Tonga are in very good shape and the momentum is strong.
"This relationship has been going from strength to strength with the deepening of mutual political trust and fruitful outcomes of practical cooperation in various fields," said Liu.
He said both China and Tonga have gained benefits from their sound ties, citing examples including the China-aided Tonga High School Indoor Stadium, where Tonga hosted the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders' Meeting from Aug. 26 to 30.
"There are a lot of testaments or demonstrations of these benefits. The Indoor Stadium of the Tonga [High] School, which is the venue of the PIF leaders' meeting this time, is a very good example. Chinese workers at this project worked day and night to complete the stadium, to make it just ready for the hosting of the 53rd PIF leaders' meeting," said Liu.
"Perhaps the most pressing issue for Tonga is climate change. I think China is trying on its part to help. We are now constructing a wind farm project which may alleviate the power shortage of Tonga and which can also help Tonga to increase, or to strengthen the renewable energy sector so that it can be more capable of dealing with climate change," the ambassador continued.
"China appreciates Tonga's adherence to the one-China principle ever since the establishment of China-Tonga diplomatic ties 26 years ago, and I think that principle is deeply rooted in this country. And, we also believe that Tonga is an indispensable partner in China's effort to build a community with a shared future for mankind," said Liu.
Sound ties deliver benefits to China, Tonga: ambassador
China is to impose a matching 34 percent tariffs on all U.S. imports, plus export controls, and trade restrictions, in response to the U.S. move to impose a 34 percent "reciprocal tariff" on Chinese imports, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday.
The spokesperson said that the U.S. imposition of so-called "reciprocal tariffs" seriously violates WTO rules, harms the legitimate rights and interests of the WTO members, and undermines the multilateral trade system and global economic order.
Calling it a typical act of unilateral bullying that threatens global trade stability, China has filed a complaint against the U.S. move under the WTO dispute settlement mechanism, the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council announced on Friday that the imposition of the 34-percent tariffs on all products imported from the United States would take effect on 12:01, April 10, while the U.S. imposition is set to take effect on April 9.
Also on Friday, the Ministry of Commerce issued announcement No.18 of 2025, imposing export controls on seven types of middle-heavy rare earth elements, including samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium.
The Ministry of Commerce also issued announcement No.21 of 2025, adding 16 U.S. military-related entities to the export control list, prohibiting the export of dual-use items to these entities.
The work mechanism for the unreliable entity list issued announcement No.7 of 2025, which added 11 U.S. companies on the unreliable entity list, prohibiting them from engaging in import and export activities related to China, and prohibiting them from making new investments in China.
The Ministry of Commerce issued announcements No.19 and No.20 of 2025, launching an anti-dumping investigation into imported medical CT tubes originating from the U.S. and other regions, and initiating China's first industry competitiveness investigation into imported medical CT tubes.
Also on Friday, the General Administration of Customs issued announcements No.54 and No.55, stating that in order to protect the health of Chinese consumers and ensure the safety of China's livestock production, it has decided to suspend the qualification of one U.S. company for exporting sorghum to China, suspend the qualification of three U.S. companies for exporting poultry bone meal to China, and suspend the export of poultry products to China from two U.S. companies, as their imports are found problematic in the inspection and quarantine.
China to control export, restrict trade with US plus tariffs
