China Strikes Back With Tariff Hikes As Trump Imposes 20 Per Cent Duties On Chinese Imports; US Escalates Trade War With Canada, Mexico

Beijing has hit back forcefully against the latest wave of tariffs imposed by the United States, announcing fresh levies of 10 to 15 per cent on a wide array of American agricultural and food products, NDTV reported.

The retaliatory move also places 25 US firms under export and investment restrictions, further intensifying an already fraught trade conflict between the world’s two largest economies.

The Chinese response follows President Donald Trump’s decision to double duties on Chinese imports to 20 per cent while simultaneously slapping new 25 per cent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada.

By targeting all three of America’s top trading partners, Washington has reignited global trade tensions, provoking swift retaliation from Beijing.

In an official statement, China’s finance ministry confirmed that "Beijing will impose an additional 15 per cent tariff on US chicken, wheat, corn and cotton and an extra 10 per cent levy on US soybeans, sorghum, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits and vegetables and dairy imports from 10 March."

The measures reflect China’s commitment to defending its economic interests while responding in kind to what it perceives as continued US aggression.

China’s commerce ministry further condemned the American tariff strategy, declaring that the unilateral tariff measures of the United States seriously violate World Trade Organization rules and undermine the basis for economic and trade cooperation between China and the US.

The dispute has been driven in part by Trump’s allegations that China has failed to curb the export of chemicals used in the production of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid.

The White House argues that Beijing’s inaction justifies the additional 10 per cent duty, which came into effect at 05:01 GMT on 4 March. China, however, has denied any wrongdoing, dismissing the US accusations as baseless.

This latest round of tariffs builds on the sweeping trade measures implemented during Trump’s first term, which saw tariffs of up to 25 per cent imposed on approximately $370 billion worth of Chinese imports.

Under former President Joe Biden, certain levies were significantly increased, including a doubling of tariffs on Chinese semiconductors to 50 per cent and a dramatic fourfold hike on Chinese electric vehicles to over 100 per cent.

The newly implemented 20 per cent tariff now extends to major US consumer electronics imported from China, which had previously escaped Washington’s trade crackdown.

Products such as smartphones, laptops, video game consoles, smartwatches, speakers, and Bluetooth devices are now subject to higher duties, potentially impacting American consumers and global supply chains.