Donald Trump Imposes 104% Tariffs on Chinese Imports As Trade War Escalates

The United States has officially imposed a record-high 104% tariff on Chinese goods, as announced by the White House late Tuesday night. This major move by President Donald Trump marks a sharp escalation in the ongoing trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

Trump had earlier issued an ultimatum to Beijing, demanding the rollback of a 34% retaliatory tariff imposed on American goods. He gave China 24 hours to comply or face severe trade penalties. After no action from Beijing, the US swiftly responded by raising its tariffs on Chinese imports.

A Sudden Spike in Tariffs

Until just last month, the US had a 10% tariff on Chinese products. However, President Trump criticized this as too lenient, accusing China of long-standing trade imbalances and unfair practices. Citing what he called "years of economic abuse," he introduced a reciprocal tariff strategy, matching tariffs based on what other countries charge the US.

On April 2, Trump imposed a new baseline 10% tariff on all foreign imports due to a declared "national emergency" over trade-related security concerns. With China already imposing high duties on American products, this raised total tariffs on Chinese goods to 54%.

Now, with today’s additional 50% increase specifically targeting China, the final tariff stands at 104%—a dramatic jump in less than a week.

Despite the harsh stance, Trump indicated he is still open to negotiations. Posting on his platform, Truth Social, he wrote:
“China also wants to make a deal, badly, but they don’t know how to get it started. We are waiting for their call.”

China Calls Move "Blackmail"

In a strongly worded response, China’s commerce ministry called the US decision “a mistake on top of a mistake” and accused Washington of using intimidation tactics.

“If the US insists on having its way, China will fight to the end,” the ministry said, labeling the new tariff threats as pure "blackmail."

The announcement has sent shockwaves through global financial markets, already jittery from earlier tensions. Tuesday’s stock sell-offs marked the steepest drop since the COVID-19 pandemic crash, as investors brace for further economic instability.

With neither side backing down, economists warn of rising prices, disrupted supply chains, and a potential slowdown in global growth.