Trump’s latest tariff increase targets Chinese imports, intensifying a trade war with Beijing, while China pushes back with defiant warnings and sharp criticism of U.S. policies.
Trump raises China tariffs to a record 245 percent
Former President Donald Trump has raised tariffs on Chinese imports to an unprecedented 245 percent.
The move comes after China responded with retaliatory tariffs of its own.
The White House stated that the steep increase was a direct reaction to China’s “retaliatory actions” in the escalating U.S.-China trade conflict.
Previously, Trump had reduced tariffs on other countries to just 10 percent.
However, he dramatically increased the tariffs on Chinese goods, triggering sharp criticism from Beijing.
China responds defiantly, warning the U.S. to stop escalating the trade conflict
Previously, China issued sharp criticism of U.S. policies after Trump raised tariffs to 145 percent
China has responded to Trump’s actions by warning the U.S. to “stop whining”.
The billion-population nation also accused America of reckless economic behavior.
State media outlets claimed that the United States was not being “ripped off,” but rather had lived beyond its means for decades.
China argued that the U.S. had outsourced manufacturing and borrowed heavily to support an unsustainable lifestyle.
Chinese officials said the U.S. should stop playing the victim and instead cooperate to build a fair and multilateral trading system.
The country’s state media has been rather scathing about America, saying: “The US is not getting ripped off by anybody. The problem is the US has been living beyond its means for decades.
“It consumes more than it produces. It has outsourced its manufacturing and borrowed money in order to have a higher standard of living than it’s entitled to based on its productivity. Rather than being ‘cheated’, the US has been taking a free ride on the globalization train.’
Trump defended his trade policy in a recent social media post.
He claimed the tariffs are generating record revenue for the U.S. government.
According to him, the cost of everyday goods like groceries and gas is going down.
“INFLATION is down. Promises Made, Promises Kept!” Trump wrote, emphasizing that the policy was fulfilling campaign pledges and strengthening the economy.
Not all Chinese goods will be impacted as key electronics receive exemptions
Not all Chinese imports will face the 245 percent tariff rate.
Trump announced exemptions for certain goods, such as smartphones and electronic devices, which will not be taxed at the higher rate.
U.S. officials, however, indicated that a specific “semiconductor tariff” would apply to select tech products instead.
This approach appears designed to shield American consumers from price increases while still targeting strategic sectors.
China accuses U.S. of using tariffs as political tools and harming global trade
Additionally, China continues to condemn the U.S. use of tariffs as economic weapons.
State media accused America of acting selfishly rather than embracing global cooperation. They argued that the U.S. was ignoring economic fairness promoted by organizations like the World Trade Organization (WTO)
