Former President Donald Trump announced Monday that he will impose an additional 50% tariff on Chinese imports if China does not roll back its newly implemented 34% retaliatory tariff on U.S. goods.
China’s 34% tariff, enacted last Friday, came in direct response to the U.S. decision just two days earlier to raise tariffs on Chinese imports by the same amount. Now, Trump is doubling down.
“If China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long-term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs of 50%, effective April 9,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “All talks with China will be terminated. We will instead move forward with negotiations with other nations.”
If implemented, the 50% hike would push overall U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods to an unprecedented 84%, escalating the trade war to new heights.
This comes just days after Trump unveiled a sweeping tariff strategy he’s calling “Liberation Day,” which sets a 10% baseline tariff on all U.S. trade partners, 25% on imported vehicles and auto parts, 34% on Chinese goods, and 20% on EU imports.
In response, China has announced further export controls, particularly on rare earth materials—critical components in semiconductors and EV batteries.
In 2024, China ranked as the third-largest U.S. trading partner, with $582 billion in total trade.