The Chinese government announced on Friday that it will impose a 34 percent tariff on imports from the United States in response to President Trump’s plan for similar tariffs on goods from China. The tariff match was confirmed by China’s Finance Ministry.
Additionally, China’s Ministry of Commerce added 11 American companies to its list of “unreliable entities”, which will restrict their ability to do business in China and with Chinese companies. The ministry also implemented strict limits on exports of certain rare earth elements, almost exclusively mined in China, and are utilized in a range of products including electric cars and smart bombs.
The commerce ministry also initiated two trade investigations into American exports of medical imaging equipment, a manufacturing category where the United States remains competitive.
Furthermore, China’s General Administration of Customs announced that it will suspend chicken imports from some of America’s major agricultural exporters.
Overall, these measures, implemented by multiple government agencies within a short time frame, demonstrate that China has no intention of backing down in the ongoing trade war initiated by Mr. Trump with his own substantial tariffs on imported goods.
The Chinese tariffs will affect fewer goods than those imposed by President Trump due to China’s significantly larger exports to the United States. China’s tariffs also do not include any exemptions, unlike some large categories of imports exempted by President Trump, such as semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.
China’s Finance Ministry strongly criticized Mr. Trump’s tariffs, stating that they do not align with international trade rules and harm China’s legitimate rights and interests. The ministry referred to the tariffs as a “typical unilateral bullying practice”.
China’s tariffs are set to take effect next Thursday, following the implementation of the American tariffs the previous day. This is a developing story, with updates to follow. Claire Fu contributed additional reporting from Seoul.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/04/business/china-trump-tariffs-retaliation.html
