In response to upcoming US import tariffs set to take effect on Tuesday, China is preparing to implement countermeasures, as reported by the state-backed Global Times. American agricultural exports are likely to be among the targets.

Last week, Donald Trump threatened China with an additional 10% duty, raising the cumulative tariff to 20%, while accusing Beijing of failing to adequately address the flow of fentanyl into the United States, which China considers a form of “blackmail”. This caused friction between the two nations.

According to sources cited by Global Times, China is studying and planning relevant countermeasures in response to the US threat of imposing an additional 10% tariff on Chinese products under the pretext of fentanyl in order to “protect its interests”.

These countermeasures may include both tariffs and a series of non-tariff measures, with US agricultural and food products being the most likely to be targeted.

Agriculture has long been a vulnerable area for the US in trade tensions with China, with China being the largest market for US agricultural products.

Despite a decline in imports since 2018, when Beijing implemented tariffs of up to 25% on various agricultural products in retaliation for duties on Chinese goods imposed by Trump, China remains a major buyer of US agriculture products, importing $29.25bn worth in 2024, a 14% drop from the previous year.

Global Times, owned by People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the governing Communist Party, reported that China is considering similar countermeasures to those taken in response to the European Union’s imposition of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles last year.

Beijing publicly stated that it is considering countermeasures in response to the European Union’s tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

Although analysts believe Beijing still hopes to negotiate a truce with the Trump administration, the prospect of a rapprochement is becoming increasingly unlikely without any signs of trade talks.