Trump threatens 50% more tariffs on China, sending total rate to 104%

US President Donald Trump has threatened huge additional tariffs on imports from China if Beijing does not withdraw its retaliation plans, adding that Washington would begin talks with other countries that want negotiations.

The fresh action would stack on an already steep US rate taking effect on Wednesday, the White House told AFP on Monday, bringing the total figure to a prohibitive level of 104 percent.

"If China does not withdraw its 34 percent increase above their already long-term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50 percent, effective April 9th," Trump said in a Truth Social post on Monday.

As part of a broader plan to impose "reciprocal" tariffs on countries with which the United States has large trade deficits, Trump last week unveiled a 34 percent additional tariff on China, taking effect Wednesday.

Beijing's counter-tariff matches Washington's figure, and is set to kick in on April 10. These will stack on existing Chinese duties too.

And President Trump just imposed even more tariffs on China pic.twitter.com/Qwu21jwvxM

— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) April 7, 2025

The world's second biggest economy has also issued other countermeasures, including export controls on rare earth elements.

Since returning to the presidency, Trump has imposed 20 percent added duties on Chinese imports over Beijing's alleged role in the fentanyl supply chain.

With the incoming 34 percent rate and new 50 percent threat, the total additional rate this year could hit 104 percent, the White House told AFP.

The White House added that this new rate piles on existing tariffs from Trump's first presidency, which former president Joe Biden largely kept in place and added to in targeted sectors.

'Meetings terminated'

Trump took aim at Beijing's economic practices on social media on Monday, criticising its "non-monetary tariffs" and "illegal subsidisation of companies."

He added that "all talks with China concerning their requested meetings with us will be terminated."

But "negotiations with other countries, which have also requested meetings, will begin taking place immediately," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

If Trump implements his plans, US tariffs on imports from China would reach a combined 104 percent. The new taxes would be on top of the 20 percent tariffs announced as punishment for fentanyl trafficking and his separate 34 percent tariffs announced last week.

Not only could that increase prices for American consumers, it could give China an incentive to flood other countries with cheaper goods and seek deeper partnerships with other trading partners.

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Source: TRT