On April 2, Donald Trump declared his intention to impose “reciprocal tariffs” on international commodities, regardless of whether they are “friend or foe.”
Trump expects that the measure will improve the economy, jobs, and domestic sectors. Dozens of countries are preparing for greater levies as of Wednesday, April 9, even though many have already been hit with a baseline 10 percent duty.
During his ‘Liberation Day’ speech, Trump said that the ‘worst offenders’ would be subject to the second round of tariffs. He notably targeted China and the European Union, calling them the primary ‘rip us off’ perpetrators.
The President said, “This is Liberation Day,” from the Rose Garden. We have been waiting a long time, and April 2, 2025, will always be remembered as the day that we started to ‘Make America Wealthy Again,’ resurrect American industry, and recapture America’s future.
“For decades our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered from nations, near and far, from both friend and foe alike.”
Here is everything you need to know about the ongoing dispute, as China has now pledged to “fight to the end” in the fierce US trade battle.
What tariffs did Trump announce on China?
The US initially launched a trade war with China all the way back during Trump’s first term, and Joe Biden simply preserved the tariffs during his presidency. The spat has been simmering away ever since, and has now reached boiling point with Trump back in office to continue his assault on Chinese imports. Within days of returning to the White House, he took aim at China, Mexico and Canada, accusing them of facilitating illegal immigration and drugs into the States. A 10 percent tariff was then applied to all Chinese imports to the US on February 4. This provoked China to strike back, applying 15 percent tariffs on coal and liquefied natural gas plus a 10 percent levy on crude oil, agricultural machinery and large-engine cars from the US as of February 10.
