Linggong Kong
When Donald Trump pulled back on his plan to impose eye-watering tariffs on trading partners across the world, there was one key exception: China.
While the rest of the world would be given a 90-day reprieve on additional duties beyond the new 10% tariffs on all US trade partners, China would feel the squeeze even more. On April 9, 2025, Trump raised the tariff on Chinese goods to 125%.
The move, in Trump’s telling, was prompted by Beijing’s “lack of respect for global markets.” But the US president may well have been smarting from Beijing’s apparent willingness to confront US tariffs head-on.
While many countries opted not to retaliate against Trump’s now-delayed reciprocal tariff hikes, instead favoring negotiation and dialogue, Beijing took a different tack. It responded with swift and firm countermeasures.
On April 11, China dismissed Trump’s moves as a “joke” and raised its own tariff against the US to 125%. In retaliation, Trump later raised his tariffs on China to 145% before declaring an exemption for certain electronics.
The two economies are now locked in an all-out, high-intensity trade standoff. And China is showing no signs of backing down.
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