On Monday, April 7, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would impose a 50% tariff on Chinese imports if Beijing did not withdraw its planned retaliation by the following day.
Trump warned that these additional tariffs would take effect on April 9, 2025, if China did not reverse its proposed tariff increases.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “If China does not withdraw its 34 percent increase above their already long-term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50 percent, effective April 9th.”
The 50% tariff would add to the existing 34% tariff increase that the White House had already planned to implement on Wednesday, April 9. This new round of tariffs would bring the total penalties on China to an even higher level, potentially pushing the total to a staggering 104%, according to White House officials.
The fresh tariffs are part of Trump’s broader strategy to impose “reciprocal” tariffs on countries with which the United States has large trade deficits. Last week, Trump introduced the 34% tariff on China, which was followed by Beijing’s countermeasure—a matching 34% tariff set to take effect on April 10. China has also implemented other countermeasures, such as export controls on rare earth elements.
Trump has long criticized China’s economic practices, including what he calls “non-monetary tariffs” and the illegal subsidization of companies. He also announced that any planned talks with China would be called off, adding that “negotiations with other countries, which have also requested meetings, will begin taking place immediately.”
This escalation comes after Trump imposed 20% additional duties on Chinese imports, mainly due to Beijing’s involvement in the fentanyl supply chain. As the tariff rates continue to climb, the economic tensions between the two countries show no signs of easing.
