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China unveiled retaliatory tariffs of 84% on imports of US goods on Wednesday, matching additional tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump earlier in the day and further inflaming a trade war between the world’s two biggest economies.
Trump’s sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs took effect earlier on Wednesday. China was the hardest-hit nation, with a levy now totaling at least 104% on all its goods. The two countries have been involved in a game of tit-for-tat on trade, with Beijing standing firmly against each new tariff introduced by Washington.
The trade war widened further on Wednesday after the European Union announced it would begin collecting retaliatory duties on US imports starting Tuesday.
Announcing China’s response, the State Council Tariff Commission said in a statement: “The US escalation of tariffs on China is a mistake upon mistake, severely infringing upon China’s legitimate rights and interests, and seriously damaging the multilateral trading system based on rules.”
The amped-up retaliation comes after China repeatedly warned that it would “fight to the end” if the US moved forward with further tariffs.
On Wednesday, Trump’s additional levies on Chinese imports had originally been set to increase by 34 percentage points. But the president tacked on another 50 percentage points after Beijing refused to back down from the standoff. Prior to the most recent rounds of escalation, Trump had already imposed 20% levies on China.
The back-and-forth between the superpower economies has led to swings in stock markets globally, with Asian and European markets mostly lower and US stocks opening mixed.
Ranjith, L. (2025, April 9). Tit for Tat! China hits back with 84% tariffs on US goods after Trump’s 104% blow to Beijing. News24. https://news24online.com/world/tit-for-tat-china-hits-back-with-84-tariffs-on-us-goods-after-trumps-104-blow-to-beijing/526830/