- After President Donald Trump levied an additional 50% tariff on Chinese goods on April 9, China responded in kind, placing an additional 50% duty on American goods. The U.S. now faces a total of 84% in additional tariffs from China.
- Under Trump’s recent orders, Chinese goods coming into the U.S. now face a 104% tariff.
- The Chinese government has said it will not back down.
Full story
China is once again retaliating against President Donald Trump’s new tariffs, the latest in a series of tit-for-tat moves.
What is Beijing doing?
Beijing implemented a further 50% tariff on U.S. goods being imported to China on Wednesday, April 9, in response to the additional 50% tariff on Chinese goods coming into the U.S., which Trump announced Tuesday, April 8.
Trump’s extra 50% was on top of the 34% tariff on China he announced during the week of March 30, and the 20% duties already in place before that. As of Wednesday, the U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods totaled 104%.
After Trump’s “Liberation Day” announcements, China retaliated by applying matching a 34% tariff on U.S. goods.
Now, Chinese duties on American goods sit at a total of 84%.
“China urges the U.S. to immediately correct its wrong practices, cancel all unilateral tariff measures against China and properly resolve differences with China through equal dialogue on the basis of mutual respect,” a statement from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday.
Trump’s officials respond
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent responded to China’s latest tariff announcement as the news broke Wednesday morning in an interview on Fox Business.
“I think it’s unfortunate that the Chinese actually don’t want to come and negotiate because they are the worst offenders in the international trading system,” Bessent said. “They have the most imbalanced economy in the history of the modern world, and I can tell you that this escalation is a loser for them.”
According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S. exported more than $143 billion in goods to China in 2024 while importing nearly $434 billion worth of products from China.
More tariffs aren’t China’s only response
In addition to the increased tariffs, China’s commerce ministry has also barred Chinese companies from supplying 12 American companies with dual-use items. Those are imports that have both military and civilian applications.
China also banned six more U.S. firms from trading or making new investments in the country.
Additionally, Chinese officials say they’ve lodged another complaint with the World Trade Organization.
