President Donald Trump has threatened to slap an additional 50 per cent tariff on imports from China if it does not withdraw its own retaliatory tariff.
This will take the total tariff on Chinese imports to a total of 104 per cent.
Trump initially imposed tariffs of 20 per cent on Chinese imports.
On Apr. 2, 2025, what the White House called "Liberation Day", Trump announced an additional tariff of 34 per cent.
This was to stack on top of the existing 20 per cent, to make a total of 54 per cent.
China retaliated by imposing its own tariff on 34 per cent on all U.S. imports.
This did not endear China to the 78-year-old president.
ABC News quoted Trump's social media post on the Truth Social platform:
"If China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th."
"Additionally, all talks with China concerning their requested meetings with us will be terminated! Negotiations with other countries, which have also requested meetings, will begin taking place immediately."
Trump imposed tariffs on almost every country in the world, including Singapore, which got hit with a 10 per cent rate.
Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said we will not take retaliatory measures, but instead meet with U.S. counterparts to see if they can resolve any concerns that the Trump Administration may have.
Top image from AFP.
