Washington, D.C. – April 8, 2025 – U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the United States will apply an additional 50% tariff on Chinese imports if China does not cancel its recently introduced 34% tariffs on U.S. goods by the end of Tuesday, April 8, 2025. The statement was posted on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social.
Trump said the decision responds to China’s trade policies, including tariffs, subsidies, and currency practices. He specified that if China does not remove its 34% tariff by the deadline, the U.S. will enact the 50% tariff on Chinese goods starting April 9, 2025. He added that trade talks with China would stop if the tariffs remain in place.
China’s Ministry of Commerce issued a statement saying it would “fight to the end” and described the U.S. move as “tariff blackmail.” A Chinese Embassy spokesperson in the U.S. told CBS News that “pressuring or threatening China is not an effective approach.”
This follows China’s announcement last Friday of a 34% tariff on U.S. imports, effective April 10, 2025. That decision came after the U.S. introduced new tariffs last week, including a 10% duty on all imports and a 34% tariff on Chinese goods, added to an existing 20% tariff linked to fentanyl issues.
Financial markets showed varied responses on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by more than 1,300 points. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng indexes fell, while Taiwan’s market declined nearly 10%, marking its largest single-day drop on record.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the tariff policy seeks to address trade imbalances and noted that over 50 countries have started talks with the U.S. to lessen the tariffs’ effects. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, however, raised concerns that the tariffs might increase costs for U.S. consumers and businesses.
A White House official told ABC News that the proposed 50% tariff would add to existing tariffs on Chinese goods, potentially raising the total rate above 100%. The official confirmed that the broader tariff plan, which began Saturday with a 10% levy on all imports, will continue as scheduled.
China is the U.S.’s third-largest import source, behind the European Union and Mexico, with trade exceeding $400 billion last year. Most Chinese imports currently face tariffs of at least 54%, though some products, like pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, are exempt.
Other nations have commented on the U.S. tariffs. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said she prefers to avoid retaliatory tariffs but has not dismissed the option. The European Union is reportedly reviewing a possible 25% tariff on U.S. goods.
The situation continues to develop as the deadline nears, with potential effects on global trade.
