posted 9th April 2025
China Escalates Trade War with 84% Tariff Hike on US Imports
Beijing has announced a significant escalation in its ongoing trade dispute with Washington, raising tariffs on American imports to 84% in response to fresh tariff increases imposed by US President Donald Trump. The move, confirmed by China’s finance ministry on Tuesday, marks a sharp intensification of a trade war that has rattled global markets and strained relations between the world’s two largest economies.
The new tariff rate represents a 50% increase on top of China’s existing levies on US goods. It comes as a direct retaliation to Trump’s decision to hike tariffs on Chinese imports to a staggering 104%, further deepening the tit-for-tat economic standoff. The latest salvo follows years of simmering tensions, with both nations accusing the other of unfair trade practices.
In a strongly worded statement, China’s finance ministry condemned the US actions, declaring, “The US escalation of tariffs on China is a mistake on top of a mistake, which seriously infringes on China’s legitimate rights and interests and seriously undermines the rules-based multilateral trading system.” Beijing has long argued that Washington’s policies threaten global economic stability, a charge the Trump administration has consistently dismissed.
The roots of this dispute stretch back years, with a notable meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on 29 June 2019, failing to yield a lasting truce. Since then, both sides have doubled down, wielding tariffs as weapons in a battle over trade imbalances, intellectual property rights, and market access.
Analysts warn that the latest tariff hikes could further disrupt supply chains, increase costs for consumers, and dampen economic growth on both sides of the Pacific. As the stand-off shows no sign of abating, the international community watches anxiously, bracing for the ripple effects of this unrelenting trade war.
