President Donald Trump threatened to slap an additional $100 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods. In response, China warned it would fight back “at any cost” with fresh trade measures if the U.S. continues on its path of protectionism.
The new tariffs from the U.S. on Chinese imports would come on top of separate duties on $50 billion in U.S. imports of Chinese products like motor vehicles and home appliances that the administration announced earlier this week.
China responded to that announcement by releasing its own list of products worth roughly the same amount that it will target with duties if the Trump administration moves forward with the president’s course of action. That list of more than 100 items was heavy on agricultural commodities, especially soybeans. Beijing also said it would add 25 percent tariffs on U.S. exports like aircraft, automobiles and chemicals.
Trump said in a statement Thursday evening that he found China’s retaliation “unfair,” and, for that reason, he instructed U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer “to consider whether $100 billions of additional tariffs would be appropriate … and, if so, to identify the products upon which to impose such tariffs.”
“Rather than remedy its misconduct, China has chosen to harm our farmers and manufacturers,” Trump said. “I am committed to enabling American companies and workers to compete on a level playing field around the world, and I will never allow unfair trade practices to undermine American interests.”
“If the United States disregards the objections of China and the international community and persists in unilateralism and trade protectionism, the Chinese side will follow through to the end, at any cost, and definitely fight back resolutely,” a spokesperson was quoted as saying in a statement on the ministry’s website.
The ministry has called for a media briefing on Friday night, an unusual move on a public holiday.
Photo courtesy Port of Hamburg
