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China has taken forceful countermeasures to defend its interests, the State Council said. On Wednesday, the Chinese Finance Ministry announced raised tariffs on U.S. goods from 34% to 84%. This decision was in response to the additional 50% tariff announced yesterday by U.S. President Donald Trump, who increased the tariff on Chinese goods to 104%.

The new Chinese tariffs will take effect on April 10 and are a response to the “repeated mistake” of the United States increasing its tariffs on China.

The Chinese Trade Ministry also added 12 U.S. firms to its export control list, including equipment manufacturers and engineering companies, some of which are related to drones (BRINC), aeronautics (Novotech), machinery (Marvin Engineering Company), and radars (Echodyne).

It also added six other companies to its untrustworthy entities list, including military equipment suppliers such as Cyberlux and Sierra Nevada.

On Wednesday, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China also released a report titled “China’s Position on Some Issues Concerning China-U.S. Economic and Trade Relations.”

This 53-page document emphasizes that, as the world’s largest developing country, China is also the biggest contributor to annual global economic growth. As the largest developed country, the United States possesses the largest economy in the world.

Due to this fundamental situation, China-US economic and trade relations are of profound significance for both countries and have a substantial impact on global stability and development.

The State Council report also highlights that over the 46 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US, bilateral trade and economic ties have developed steadily.

“The volume of trade between the two countries has surged from less than US$2.5 billion in 1979 to nearly US$688.3 billion in 2024,” it states, noting that bilateral trade has made a significant contribution to both countries’ economic and social development.

Since the onset of the trade friction in 2018, however, U.S. protectionism has significantly impeded the normal course of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

“So far, the U.S. has imposed tariffs on Chinese exports worth more than US$500 billion. Furthermore, it has continuously implemented policies aimed at containing and suppressing China,” the April report pointed out.

“The Chinese side has had to take forceful countermeasures to defend its national interests. At the same time, committed to resolving disputes through dialogue and consultation, the Chinese side has engaged in multiple rounds of economic and trade consultations with the US side to stabilize bilateral economic and trade relations,” it added.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel attends the CELAC Summit in Honduras, condemns U.S. unilateral policies, and calls for Latin American unity. Key discussions on migration, trade, and climate change.

Cuban President Arrives in Honduras for Regional Summit

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel arrived in Honduras on Tuesday afternoon to participate in the Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), where he is expected to address critical regional issues.

Cuban Presidency Confirms Arrival, Stresses Unity Through Martí’s Words

The Cuban Presidency confirmed his arrival in the Central American country via a message posted on X (formerly Twitter). During his summit address, Díaz-Canel emphasized the urgent need for unity among Latin American nations, quoting José Martí: “to march in tight formation, like the silver in the roots of the Andes.”

Díaz-Canel Condemns U.S. Unilateralism on Key Issues

The Cuban leader sharply criticized the U.S. government’s actions, which he claimed undermine multilateralism and international law. Díaz-Canel denounced the current U.S. administration for advancing an aggressive agenda marked by unilateralism in areas such as migration, drug trafficking, international trade, and climate change.

“U.S. Coercive Measures Disregard International Law,” Says Cuban Leader

“The actions taken by the current U.S. government threaten and seek to legitimize the imposition of unilateral coercive measures, disregarding the legal frameworks of other nations,” the Cuban president stated before leaders and representatives of CELAC’s 33 member countries.

CELAC Summit Champions “United for the Great Homeland” Agenda

Held under the slogan “United for the Great Homeland,” the summit brings together foreign ministers and high-level diplomats at Honduras’ Central Bank. Discussions will focus on regional economic and social solutions and establish the thematic agenda for Wednesday’s meeting of heads of state and government.

Unity Against U.S. Monroe Doctrine

The Cuban leader sharply criticized the U.S. government’s actions, which he claimed undermine multilateralism and international law. He specifically condemned the U.S. revival of the Monroe Doctrine, stating: “The declared U.S. return to the Monroe Doctrine can only be confronted with unity, which means a strong and cohesive #CELAC anchored in its founding principles and its still brief but already substantial historical legacy.”

Regional Solidarity Over Differences

Díaz-Canel urged member nations to prioritize collective goals, adding: “#Cuba proposes tackling current challenges by placing common interests and objectives above differences and acting as a true regional community.” He stressed that cooperation must transcend political or ideological divisions to address shared issues like migration, climate change, and economic inequality.

Condemnation of U.S. Sanctions

The president also denounced decades-long U.S. sanctions against Cuba, declaring: “On behalf of a nation that has endured for over six decades the human and material consequences of an economic and financial blockade—now intensified to cruel extremes—we demand the immediate cessation of unilateral coercive measures.” He accused the U.S. of leveraging such policies to destabilize nations opposing its hegemony.

Summit Agenda and Outcomes

Held under the slogan “United for the Great Homeland,” the summit brings together foreign ministers and high-level diplomats at Honduras’ Central Bank. Discussions will focus on regional economic and social solutions and establish the thematic agenda for Wednesday’s meeting of heads of state and government.

At the conclusion of the event, delegations will review a summary of Honduras’ work during its year-long CELAC presidency, highlighting milestones in Latin American and Caribbean cooperation and dialogue.

A side view of the defense secretary speaking from podium. "The era of capitulating to coercion by the communist Chinese is over," Hegseth said while delivering prepared remarks earlier in the day.

"[China's] growing and adversarial control of strategic land and critical infrastructure in this hemisphere cannot and will not stand," he added.

Hegseth, who has been in Panama City for a three-day security conference with the host nation, later made the expanded partnership announcement during a joint press conference with Panamanian Public Security Minister Frank Abrego.

"The Panama Canal is key terrain that must be secured by Panama, with America, and not China," Hegseth said.

He added that, just prior to the news conference, the U.S. and Panama signed a memorandum of understanding related to cooperative security activities in the region and that the signing of an additional declaration related to the security and operation of the Panama Canal would be forthcoming.

That declaration, Hegseth said, would provide a framework for U.S. warships and auxiliary ships to travel "first and free" through the canal.

"These documents reaffirm [the U.S. and Panama's] historic ties and outline how we will deepen our relationship and strengthen bilateral canal security cooperation," Hegseth said.

He added that the signed MOU would pave the way for an increased level of joint training exercises between the two countries and improve overall interoperability between both nations' military forces by reestablishing a rotational joint presence at a handful of previously operational U.S. military installations.

Those installations include Rodman Naval Station and Howard Air Force Base, as well as Fort Sherman, where plans are underway to revive the jungle operations center so that U.S. and Panamanian troops can train side by side.

Hegseth said the expanded security relationship between the two countries would also include information sharing, enhanced cyber cooperation, bilateral security dialogues and canal infrastructure improvements.

"Our countries reaffirmed our shared commitment to protecting Panamanian sovereignty from maligned influence, and we recognize the foundational importance of our constitutional governments — including respect for our neutrality treaty," Hegseth said.

Signed Sept. 7, 1977, the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal stipulated that the U.S. would relinquish control of the canal by the year 2000 while also ensuring open and secure waterway access to all nations.

When asked whether the U.S. still recognizes Panama's sovereignty over the canal, Hegseth said that protecting Panamanian sovereignty from maligned influences in the region is essential.

"When President [Donald J.] Trump says, 'We're taking back the Panama Canal from Chinese influence,' that involves partnership with the United States," Hegseth said, adding that the U.S. is grateful that Panama has welcomed American troops onto Panamanian soil through the joint rotational exercise invitation.

"And that's what you'll see in the memorandum of understanding: it's an opportunity to revive … locations where U.S. troops can work with Panamanian troops to enhance capabilities and cooperate in a rotational way," he said.

Presently, there are two U.S. Navy guided-missile cruisers, one U.S. Coast Guard cutter, four F-18 fighter jets, and over 1,000 U.S. service members — including a U.S. Marine Corps infantry company — training and exercising with the Panamanians, Hegseth said.

He added that the U.S. Navy would send the hospital ship USNS Comfort to Panama this summer to provide medical care and deepen bilateral relationships between the two countries.

In addition to partnering to secure the Panama Canal, Hegseth said the two countries are also working in tandem to counter violent cartels and criminal enterprises throughout the Americas, as well as securing their respective countries' borders.

As an example of the latter, Hegseth credited Panama with reducing illegal border crossings at the Darién Gap — a 60-mile land bridge connecting Central and South America — by 99% in the past year.

Calling the expanded partnership with Panama "a golden age of clear-eyed Americanism," Hegseth said that the U.S. and its partner nations throughout Central and South America seek a hemisphere that is secure and prosperous for its sovereign nations.

"We want this to be a golden age for our countries, together, and for this hemisphere," Hegseth said. "We want — in short — not only to make America great again, but to make the Americas great again."

Brazil’s President Lula da Silva calls for Latin American unity at CELAC Summit, prioritizing democracy, climate action, and economic integration amid global instability.

During his address at the IX Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued an urgent call for unity among Latin American and Caribbean nations. Against a backdrop of global economic destabilization and the resurgence of old hegemonies, Lula warned of the threats facing the region and the need for collective action.

The Brazilian leader stressed that Latin America is navigating one of the most critical periods in its history. In his speech, he emphasized that attempts to restore outdated spheres of influence threaten national autonomy and urged countries to set aside differences to tackle shared challenges. “If we remain divided, we risk becoming mere zones of influence in a new global division among superpowers,” he asserted.

Lula outlined a three-pillar action plan focused on defending democracy, combating climate change, and advancing economic integration. First, he underscored the importance of safeguarding democratic systems in the region, cautioning against eroding political trust and the rise of authoritarian agendas. “Our nations’ security depends on eradicating hunger and ensuring opportunities for all,” he declared.

Second, he addressed the urgent need for collective climate action, noting that Latin America and the Caribbean are disproportionately vulnerable to its impacts. “We must act together to mitigate this threat,” he urged.

Finally, Lula highlighted the necessity of strengthening economic and trade integration among member states, arguing that a unified regional economy is vital to counter unilateral measures like the tariffs imposed by the U.S. under Donald Trump. “Trade wars have no winners,” he concluded.

Lula’s appeal comes at a pivotal moment for the region, where geopolitical and economic tensions demand coordinated, solidarity-driven responses. The summit marks a crucial platform to redefine Latin America and the Caribbean’s role in the emerging global order.