By Safiyat Muhammed, International Desk
Beijing, China – In a dramatic escalation of trade tensions, China’s Ministry of Finance has announced a sweeping 84% import tariff on all goods from the United States, marking a significant retaliatory move amid renewed friction between the world’s two largest economies.
The new tariffs will take effect at 12:01 a.m. CST (05:00 BST) on April 10, the ministry confirmed in a statement released on Wednesday.
This move comes before former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed 104% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles and amid rising campaign rhetoric as he eyes a return to the White House.
The Chinese government had earlier imposed a 34% tariff on select U.S. goods, but this latest hike marks the most aggressive response yet, signaling that Beijing is prepared for a full-blown trade confrontation.
Trade analysts see the measure as a calculated retaliation aimed at deterring future U.S. protectionist policies, particularly those targeting China’s advanced technology and manufacturing sectors.
“This is a strong signal from China to the United States that any trade aggression will be met with proportionate—and potentially escalated—countermeasures,” said Dr. Wei Lin, a trade economist at Peking University.
The sweeping nature of the new tariff affects all categories of American imports, from agricultural produce and machinery to electronics and consumer goods. The impact is expected to reverberate across global supply chains and may trigger inflationary pressure in both economies.
With the U.S. presidential election approaching, trade policy has once again become a political flashpoint. Trump, in recent speeches, has vowed to take a tougher stance on China, blaming Beijing for what he calls “unfair trade practices” and economic sabotage.
However, Chinese officials appear undeterred.
“China remains committed to fair trade and mutual respect,” the finance ministry stated. “But we will not allow foreign powers to impose unjust terms on our economy.”
As the tariffs come into force, global markets are watching closely for the next move in what may become a new chapter in the U.S.-China trade war.
