China has significantly increased its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports, as President Xi Jinping issued a firm warning to Donald Trump.
Tensions in the ongoing trade war between the two nations have escalated in recent days. On Wednesday (April 9), President Trump imposed tariffs of up to 104 percent on Chinese goods, prompting a swift response from Xi, who countered with an additional 84 percent tariff hike on U.S. products.
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have been locked in a brutal tariff war since the Republican reclaimed the Oval Office in January
This move follows Trump’s decision to raise tariffs on Chinese imports to as high as 145 percent—the very same day he granted a 90-day tariff pause for most other nations, including one remote island inhabited solely by penguins and seals.
In response, the Chinese State Council Tariff Commission released a statement:
“On April 10, 2025, the U.S. government announced that the ‘reciprocal tariff’ on Chinese exports to the U.S. would be further raised to 125%.
“The U.S.’s imposition of excessively high tariffs on China seriously breaches international economic and trade norms, defies basic economic principles and common sense, and constitutes outright unilateral bullying and coercion.”
Jinping has hit back at Trump’s tariffs with a huge 125 percent tax on American goods (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
“In accordance with the Tariff Law, the Customs Law, the Foreign Trade Law of the People’s Republic of China, and other relevant regulations—as well as the fundamental principles of international law—and with approval from the State Council, China will adjust its tariff measures on imported goods originating from the United States, effective April 12, 2025.”
It continued:
“1. The tariff rate outlined in the ‘Announcement of the State Council Tariff Commission on Adjusting the Tariff Measures on Imports Originating in the United States’ (Tax Commission Announcement No. 5 of 2025) will be increased from 84% to 125%. At the current rate, there is no market acceptance for U.S. goods entering China. Should the United States continue its tariff impositions on Chinese exports, China will disregard them entirely.”
The ‘trade war’ began when Trump signed an executive order which accused China of facilitating illegal immigration and drugs into the US (Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“2. All other matters will be carried out in accordance with the ‘Announcement of the Tariff Commission of the State Council on the Imposition of Additional Tariffs on Imported Goods Originating in the United States’ (Tax Commission Announcement No. 4 of 2025).”
Just days after returning to the White House, President Trump launched renewed criticism at China, Mexico, and Canada, accusing them of enabling illegal immigration and drug trafficking into the United States.
In response, a 10 percent tariff was imposed on all Chinese imports entering the U.S. on February 4.
China swiftly retaliated, imposing a 15 percent tariff on coal and liquefied natural gas, along with a 10 percent levy on U.S. crude oil, agricultural machinery, and large-engine vehicles, effective February 10.
Since then, both nations have continued to escalate the trade dispute, leading to the current tariff levels: China now imposes a 125 percent tax on American goods, while the U.S. has raised tariffs on Chinese imports to as high as 145 percent.
