Tue Feb 04 06:22:43 UTC 2025: ## China Strikes Back at Trump Tariffs with 15% Levies on US Coal and LNG
**Beijing, China** – China announced retaliatory tariffs on US imports, including a 15 percent levy on coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG), in response to President Donald Trump’s recent 10 percent tariff increase on Chinese goods. The new tariffs, effective next Monday, also include a 10 percent tax on US crude oil, agricultural machinery, large-displacement vehicles, and pickup trucks.
The Chinese Ministry of Finance condemned the US tariffs as a violation of World Trade Organization rules, arguing they disrupt trade cooperation and fail to address underlying issues. This action follows Trump’s announcement of sweeping tariffs against China, Canada, and Mexico last Saturday, ostensibly to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking. While the tariffs on Mexico and Canada were temporarily suspended following concessions, those on China remain in effect.
The latest escalation marks a renewed tension in the US-China trade relationship, echoing the two-year trade war initiated by Trump in 2018. Although a 2020 agreement aimed to boost US goods purchases from China, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted this plan, leaving a significant trade deficit. Trump has linked further tariff increases to China’s efforts to curb the flow of fentanyl into the US, a claim China disputes. Beijing has indicated it will challenge the tariffs through the WTO and explore other countermeasures while also expressing openness to further discussions.
First Piper 