US‑China tariffs clash: Beijing demands retraction, warns of retaliation
China firmly opposes the additional 34% tariffs imposed by the US on imports from the PRC. Beijing is calling on Americans to immediately retract them, threatening retaliation.
What do you need to know?
- New US Tariffs: President Donald Trump announced additional tariffs on imports from China, which amount to 34%. This increases the total burden to 54%.
- China's Reaction: The Chinese Ministry of Commerce expressed firm opposition and called for the immediate retraction of the tariffs, threatening retaliation.
- Potential Effects: Experts predict that the increased tariffs may prompt China to diversify trade with other markets.
Since April 5, the US has been imposing tariffs on imports from all countries. In the case of China, tariffs were raised from 20% to 54%.
What are the positions of China and the US?
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce expressed "firm" opposition on Thursday to Donald Trump's decision. Beijing called for their "immediate" retraction, threatening retaliatory actions to protect its interests. The Ministry of Commerce emphasized that raising tariffs will not solve the United States' problems but will only harm global economic growth.
"The United States has drawn the so-called ‘reciprocal tariffs’ based on subjective and unilateral assessments, which is inconsistent with international trade rules and seriously damages the legitimate rights and interests of relevant parties," assessed the Ministry of Commerce.
Does a trade war have a future?
According to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, "there are no winners in trade wars, and there is no way out for protectionism." The authorities in Beijing, however, did not specify what steps they would take in response to Washington's decision. Previously, after the US announced the first tariffs on Chinese imports, Beijing responded with, among other things, 15% tariffs on imports of coal and liquefied natural gas and 10% rates on oil imports.
Experts suggest that increasing tariffs on imports from China may encourage Beijing to diversify trade more strongly with alternative markets such as Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa. This could affect global supply chains and economic stability.
