Beijing: China’s counter-tariffs on American imports took effect Monday, escalating tensions between the two economic giants.
Beijing announced the new duties on 4 February, moments after US imposed 10% tariffs on Chinese products.
Trump warned of a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports into the US.
Speaking on Air Force One, he hinted at more reciprocal tariffs without naming specific countries.
Chinese Tariffs
China imposed a 15% tax on US coal and liquefied natural gas.
A 10% tariff was placed on American crude oil, large-engine cars, and agricultural machinery.
China also tightened export controls on 25 rare metals crucial for electronics and military gear.
Authorities launched an anti-monopoly probe into Google and added PVH to its “unreliable entity” list.
Tariffs on Vehicles
Trump suggested tariffs on foreign vehicles are still under discussion.
He argued European car import duties are unfairly high compared to US tariffs on European cars.
His administration aims to match foreign tariffs with reciprocal trade policies.
Trump vowed to implement tariffs at equal rates as foreign duties on US goods.
China’s WTO Complaint
Beijing accused Washington of false claims regarding fentanyl trade to justify tariffs.
China filed a complaint with the WTO, calling US tariffs “discriminatory and protectionist”.
However, experts say China is unlikely to win due to a dysfunctional WTO dispute panel.
Trump has no immediate plans to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trade Adjustments
On Friday, Trump suspended tariffs on small packages from China.
This came after the 10% import tariffs took effect on 4 February.
The suspension will remain until systems can properly track tariff revenue.
US Postal Service briefly halted Chinese shipments but resumed a day later۔
