CANBERRA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Australia's opposition party has promised to support the government as it attempts to prevent a "trade war" over new U.S. import tariffs on steel and aluminum.
Chris Bowen, the Australian Labor Party's treasury spokesperson, said on Monday that it was time for "cool heads" after U.S. President Donald Trump announced 25 percent and 10 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, saying "trade wars are good and easy to win."
A number of regions, including Canada and the European Union (EU), have threatened retaliation over the sudden change.
Bowen said that governments from around the world needed to unite and warn the United States about the dangers of protectionism and benefits of free trade.
"A trade war here will be very damaging to everybody involved, including the United States, and this is a matter where all governments around the world are fully entitled to press the Trump administration on what should happen," Bowen told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Radio.
