OAN Staff James Meyers
8:30 AM – Wednesday, April 9, 2025
As the trade war continues China implemented an additional 84% tariff on its levies on U.S. imports.
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China also announced on Wednesday it would raise its previously announced 34% tariff to match President Donald Trump’s levy.
The latest move by China, which goes into effect Thursday, comes just hours after Trump’s massive 104% tariff went into effect.
Recently China’s commerce ministry has vowed to “fight to the end” amid the escalating trade war with the U.S.
“If the US insists on further escalating its economic and trade restrictions, China has the firm will and abundant means to take necessary countermeasures and fight to the end,” the Ministry of Commerce said in a lengthy policy statement.
Along with the tariffs, China announced that they added 12 U.S. companies to its export control list and six to its unreliable entities list.
Additionally, exports of dual-use items to these companies will be banned.
However, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent fired back at Beijing’s latest move, telling Fox Business Network the retaliatory tariffs are a losing proposition for China.
“I think it’s unfortunate that the Chinese actually don’t want to come and negotiate, because they are the worst offenders in the international trading system,” Bessent said.
“They have the most imbalanced economy in the history of the modern world, and I can tell you that this escalation is a loser for them.”
Meanwhile, Trump stated on Tuesday that countries were “calling us up” ever since he announced he would be hitting almost 90 countries with sweeping tariffs.
“I’m telling you, these countries are calling us up, kissing my a**,” Trump told the National Republican Congressional Committee Dinner late Tuesday — just hours before the tariffs went into effect.
“They are. They are dying to make a deal. ‘Please, please, sir, make a deal. I’ll do anything. I’ll do anything, sir!’” he said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the same sentiments as the 47th president on Tuesday.
“It was a mistake for China to retaliate,” Leavitt said Tuesday.
“The president, when America is punched, he punches back harder. That’s why there will be 104% tariffs going into effect on China tonight at midnight.”
In total, Trump’s 50% retaliatory tariff on China is in addition to the 34% reciprocal levy and the previously imposed 20% duty on Chinese imports, which amounts to a 104% total tariff rate.
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