Washington: In response to new US tariffs on Chinese goods, China announced Tuesday additional levies on US imports, intensifying the ongoing trade conflict between the world’s two largest economies. While President Donald Trump granted temporary reprieves to Mexico and Canada, no such concession was extended to China.
Trump’s administration had imposed a 25% tariff on nearly all Chinese imports effective at 12:01 am ET Tuesday, following repeated warnings that Beijing was not doing enough to halt the influx of illicit drugs. In retaliation, China’s Finance Ministry declared that US coal and LNG imports would face a 15% tariff, and US crude oil, farm equipment, and some automobiles would be taxed at 10%. These new duties on US exports will begin on February 10.
In addition, China is launching an anti-monopoly probe into Alphabet Inc.’s Google and has added PVH Corp, which owns brands like Calvin Klein, and US biotechnology company Illumina to its “unreliable entities list.” Separately, China’s Commerce Ministry and Customs Administration have imposed export controls on tungsten, tellurium, ruthenium, molybdenum, and related products to safeguard national security interests, given the country’s dominant position in these rare earths critical for clean energy.
This move follows Trump’s suspension of his threat to impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada for 30 days, following their commitments to enhance border and crime enforcement. However, no such pause was granted for China, and a White House spokesperson indicated that Trump would not discuss these issues with Chinese President Xi Jinping until later in the week.
The tariffs have escalated tensions that first emerged during Trump’s initial trade war with China in 2018, which led to a series of retaliatory measures disrupting global supply chains and affecting economic growth. Analysts warn that further tariffs are likely, contributing to market volatility.
While Canada and Mexico reached agreements to boost border security—resulting in a 30-day pause on new US tariffs—the economic stakes remain high as China remains resolute in its retaliatory measures, underscoring the persistent challenges in US-China trade negotiations.
