China imposes retaliatory tariff on American products; halts food, medical supplies to U.S.

China has imposed a 34 per cent retaliatory tariff on American goods coming into the country in direct response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation Day Reciprocal Tariffs’ targeting the Asian nation and dozens of others worldwide. This move followed Wednesday’s announcement by the White House imposing a new 34 per cent tariff on China’s exports to the U.S. weeks after the Trump administration had initially imposed a 10 per cent tariff on Chinese goods as part of attempts to punish China, Canada and Mexico for the influx of fentanyl into America. Mr Trump’s latest decision prompted immediate responses from three Chinese government agencies, including the Finance Ministry, which announced the 34 per cent retaliatory tariff on American goods, vowing to match any future tariffs on China.
“This practice of the U.S. is not in line with international trade rules, seriously undermines China’s legitimate rights and interests, and is a typical unilateral bullying practice,” the ministry said. China’s Ministry of Commerce also announced the addition of 11 American companies to its list of “unreliable entities,” essentially barring them from doing business in China or with Chinese companies, as well as restriction on exports of seven rare earth elements that are exclusively mined in China to the United States. Meanwhile, the Chinese General Administration of Customs said it would halt chicken imports from five of America’s biggest exporters of agricultural commodities and sorghum imports from a sixth company.
China’s retaliations, which are scheduled to take effect next Thursday — 12 hours after the American tariffs take effect, extend to a pause in medical equipment shipments to the United States despite Mr Trump’s decision to exempt some large categories of imports, like semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, from the new tariffs.