Saturday, 19 April 2025

White House Lays Out Exact Tariff Rate On China Going Forward


WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 09: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he signs executive orders while (L-R) U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy look on in the Oval Office of the White House on April 09, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump signed several executive orders including directing the “repeal of unlawful regulations” and reducing “anti-competitive regulatory barriers.” Earlier today, Trump announced a 90-day pause on the full effect of his new tariffs for dozens of countries with the exception of China.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The White House clarified on Thursday morning that the total tariff rate on China sits at 145%, not 125%, as President Donald Trump said on Wednesday.

A White House official told CNBC that Trump’s move on Wednesday only raised the “reciprocal tariff” on China to 125%, while the 20% fentanyl tariff that the Trump administration imposed in February also remains in effect. In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump announced a tariff increase to 125% on China while dropping most tariffs on other countries to a baseline 10% tax while the White House seeks to hash out trade deals for the next 90 days.

“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately,” Trump wrote. “At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable.”

Later on Wednesday, Trump was optimistic that China would soon be willing to negotiate a trade deal, saying that Chinese leaders “don’t know quite how to go about it, but they’ll figure it out.”

“A deal is going to be made with China,” Trump added. “A deal is going to be made with every one of them [countries], and there will be fair deals. I just want fair.”

On Thursday morning, China still appeared to be a long way from coming to the negotiating table.

“If the #US is bent on waging a trade war, China will #fight to the end,” the Chinese Ministry of Commerce wrote. “Pressure, threats, and blackmail are not the right way to deal with China. We hope that the two countries will meet each other halfway and work towards resolving differences through dialogue and consultation, guided by the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.”

Trump slapped the increased tariff on Chinese goods after the country imposed a retaliatory tariff of 84% on the United States. In his announcement of the increased tariff on China, the president said, “At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable.”

The White House added in a social media post on Wednesday afternoon, “DO NOT RETALIATE AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED.”


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