China has retaliated against the United States by imposing a 34% tariff on American goods, following former President Donald Trump’s announcement of sweeping new trade measures.
Trump unveiled his latest round of tariffs on April 2, branding the occasion as “Liberation Day” in a speech from the White House Rose Garden. He framed the move as a decisive step toward revitalizing the U.S. economy and reclaiming the nation’s industrial strength.
“This is Liberation Day,” Trump declared. “April 2, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America’s destiny was reclaimed, and the day we began to ‘Make America Wealthy Again.’”
He further justified the tariffs by accusing foreign nations—both allies and adversaries—of having exploited the U.S. economy for decades.
China, one of the many countries affected by the new trade restrictions, responded swiftly with its own countermeasures, escalating tensions in an already fraught economic relationship.
Trump announced the tariffs on what he described as ‘Liberation Day’ (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Several countries around the world were subjected to a “baseline” tariff of 10% on all imports to the U.S. However, the president also announced what he called “reciprocal tariffs” targeting dozens of the “worst offenders,” set to take effect on April 9.
“They do it to us, and we do it to them. Doesn’t get much simpler than that,” Trump said.
China was among the hardest-hit nations, facing a steep 54% tariff on its exports to the U.S., including previously imposed duties.
In response, China has announced its own retaliatory measures. Starting April 10, the country will impose a 34% tariff on U.S. goods.
China claimed Trump’s tariffs are ‘not in line with international trade rules’ (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
The announcement follows a statement from the country’s finance ministry, asserting that U.S. tariffs on Chinese products violate international trade rules.
According to BBC News, a spokesperson from China’s Ministry of Commerce confirmed that the country has filed a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization (WTO), arguing that Trump’s tariffs “seriously violate WTO rules.”
The spokesperson further claimed that the tariffs “damage the legitimate rights and interests of WTO members and undermine the rules-based multilateral trading system and the international economic order.”
“This is a typical unilateral bullying tactic that threatens global economic stability. China firmly opposes it,” the spokesperson added.
In response to the tariffs, Beijing’s commerce ministry announced additional export controls on rare earth elements—critical materials used in high-tech products such as computer chips and electric vehicle batteries.
