CV NEWS FEED // President Donald Trump threatened Monday to impose a 50% tariff on Chinese goods if Beijing fails to reverse its newly announced retaliatory tariffs on US exports.
“[I]f China does not withdraw its 35% increase above their already long term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The warning comes in response to China’s escalation following Trump’s “Liberation Day Tariffs” unveiled last week, which implemented a 10% baseline tariff on nearly all imports. The policy also includes higher penalties for nations the administration says have engaged in years of unfair trade practices.
Trump criticized Beijing’s tariffs as part of a broader pattern of “record setting Tariffs, Non-Monetary Tariffs, Illegal Subsdization of companies, and massive long term Currency Manipulation.”
He also announced the termination of trade talks with China, stating that “[n]egotiations with other countries, which have also requested meetings, will begin taking place immediately.”
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian condemned the tariffs as “economic bullying,” claiming they harm developing nations in their “right to development.”
Beijing is expected to raise the issue as a formal “trade concern” at a World Trade Organization meeting this week.
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU “stands ready to negotiate” with the US.
“We have offered zero-for-zero tariffs for industrial goods, as we have successfully done with many other trading partners, because Europe is always ready for a good deal,” Von der Leyen said Monday. “So we keep it on the table.”
While some economists have expressed skepticism as the stock market crumbles, the Trump administration maintains that the tariffs will yield long-term economic benefits.
“We have massive financial deficits with China, the European Union, and many others. The only way this problem can be cured is with tariffs, which are now bringing tens of billions of dollars into the USA,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Sunday. “They are already in effect, and a beautiful thing to behold.”