China reciprocates with 34% tariffs on US products day after Trump’s tariff order

China on Friday imposed a 34% additional tariff on all U.S. goods entering the nation, escalating trade tensions just a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced new import taxes on various countries.

This marked the first retaliatory tariff from any nation, increasing the risk of a global trade war. In its announcement, China’s State Council Tariff Commission criticized the U.S. actions as violating international trade rules, damaging China’s rights and interests, and representing typical unilateral bullying.

Additionally, China disclosed plans to place 16 U.S. entities on an export control list and label 11 others as "unreliable.”

The Chinese government explained that its decision to impose export controls on certain items was meant to better protect national security and interests, while also fulfilling international obligations, such as those related to non-proliferation, according to the Commerce Ministry, Indian Express reported.

On Wednesday, President Trump introduced an additional 34% in reciprocal tariffs, on top of the existing 20% duties on all Chinese imports. Since taking office in January, Trump has already enforced two rounds of 10% additional tariffs on Chinese goods, first in February and then again in March, with the White House claiming these were aimed at addressing the issue of illegal fentanyl exports from China.

In response, China had previously implemented moderate retaliatory tariffs, focusing on U.S. agricultural products, fuel, and certain American companies, while also tightening its export controls.

Despite the escalating trade tensions, Trump, during a briefing in the Rose Garden, expressed his respect for Chinese President Xi Jinping and China as a whole.

However, he also emphasized that China had been taking advantage of the U.S., adding that China fully understood the situation and would continue to fight back.

‘Cheating’

Trump presented a chart showing the tariffs he claimed were imposed by U.S. trading partners, which he used to justify his latest round of reciprocal tariffs.

According to the Indian Express, he explained that the figures on the chart accounted for not just tariffs, but also non-monetary barriers and other trade practices, which he referred to as "cheating." According to his new policy, the U.S. would apply tariffs at about half the rate charged by other countries.

Trump claimed that China imposes tariffs of 67% on U.S. imports, a figure he said included the effects of currency manipulation and trade barriers. For months, Trump had promised to introduce reciprocal tariffs to counteract these perceived disadvantages, arguing that other countries had been taking advantage of the U.S. for years.