China retaliates & slaps 84% tariffs on US imports after Trump's 104% tariffs on China imports take effect

United States president Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on its trading partners worldwide came into effect at around noon on Apr. 9, 2025 (Singapore time).

Since his announcement of the tariffs on Apr. 2, Trump has imposed an additional tariff of 50 per cent on imports from China, after the country retaliated with an additional tariff of 34 per cent on U.S. imports and refused to withdraw it despite Trump's threat.

As a result, China now faces a cumulative tariff of 104 per cent, including a tariff of 20 per cent that Trump imposed during his first term from 2016 to 2020, reported NBC News.

In response, the Chinese Ministry of Finance announced on Apr. 9 evening that China will increase its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports by 50 per cent, from 34 per cent to 84 per cent.

The latest tariff rates will come into effect from 12:01pm on Apr. 10, 2025, added the ministry.

Likewise, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce also said it had placed 12 U.S. entities on the country's export control list, limiting the types of goods these companies can import from their Chinese counterparts.

China will fight tariffs 'to the end'

In its announcement, the Chinese Ministry of Finance called the U.S. decision to hike its tariffs on China "a mistake made on top of another mistake".

Besides infringing upon China's "legitimate rights and interests", the decision also "severely undermines the rules-based multilateral trading system," added the ministry.

A similar sentiment was echoed by Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian at a press conference on Apr. 8, who stressed that resorting to threats and blackmail "is not the right way to engage with China".

"China will take all necessary countermeasures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate and lawful rights and interests," said Lin.

His full comments are as follows:

"I would like to reiterate that there are no winners in a trade war or a tariff war.

Protectionism offers no way out. The Chinese people do not provoke trouble but we are not afraid of it. Resorting to threats and blackmail is not the right way to engage with China.

China will take all necessary countermeasures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate and lawful rights and interests.

The actions of the U.S. side have not demonstrated any genuine willingness for serious dialogue.

If the U.S. truly wishes to engage in talks, it should adopt an attitude of equality, mutual respect, and reciprocity.

If it persists in disregarding the common interest of both countries and international community and insist on escalating the trade and tariff conflict, China will, as always, fight to the end."

Top images via NYP/YouTube & People's Daily/Weibo