Thu Apr 03 08:50:42 UTC 2025: ## US-China Trade War Escalates as Trump Imposes Sweeping Tariffs

**Beijing, April 3, 2025** – Tensions between the United States and China soared today as President Donald Trump imposed sweeping new tariffs on Chinese imports, escalating an already fraught trade war. The 34% levy on Chinese goods, coupled with 10% tariffs on imports from various countries, prompted immediate condemnation from Beijing.

China’s Commerce Ministry denounced the tariffs as violations of international trade rules, accusing the US of “unilateral bullying” and protectionism. The ministry called for the immediate cancellation of the tariffs, warning that they threaten global economic stability and harm both US interests and international supply chains. This follows a 20% tariff imposed last month.

Beijing vowed retaliatory measures to protect its interests, reiterating its previous imposition of tariffs on US agricultural products like soybeans and pork. Experts suggest further countermeasures could include export controls on crucial minerals. Chen Wenling, chief economist at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, noted that the US’s actions diminish its credibility as a champion of free trade.

The escalating trade war poses a significant threat to China’s economic recovery, which is already grappling with a property sector debt crisis and weak consumer spending. Strong export growth, a key driver of China’s economy in 2024, is now jeopardized.

While the US claims the tariffs are “reciprocal,” China argues that the administration’s justifications are based on inflated estimates of tariffs imposed on US imports by other nations. China maintains that the US has long benefited from international trade and calls for dialogue to resolve the dispute. The statement concludes that protectionism offers no solutions and that “there is no winner in a trade war.” The US has also levied 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

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