Politics

JUST IN: Trump Issues Major Ultimatum To China, Threatens More Tariffs

Published

2 weeks ago

April 7, 2025

A tariffs showdown between China and the United States appears headed for a cataclysmic next chapter following President Donald Trump’s stepped-up threat to unleash even more punishing surcharges on the communist nation.

Trump on Monday warned that China, by imposing a “retaliatory” tariff of 34% on U.S. imports, is risking the evisceration of its own export-reliant economy. If the tariff does not come down by Tuesday, all Chinese imports to the U.S. will be hit with an unprecedented 50% tariff, Trump promised.

“Yesterday, China issued Retaliatory Tariffs of 34%, on top of their already record setting Tariffs, Non-Monetary Tariffs, Illegal Subsidization of companies, and massive long term Currency Manipulation, despite my warning that any country that Retaliates against the U.S. by issuing additional Tariffs, above and beyond their already existing long term Tariff abuse of our Nation, will be immediately met with new and substantially higher Tariffs, over and above those initially set,” Trump explained in a stage setter.

“Therefore, if China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th,” he warned, adding that ongoing talks between the two countries would be canceled.

“Additionally, all talks with China concerning their requested meetings with us will be terminated! Negotiations with other countries, which have also requested meetings, will begin taking place immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

A stubborn Beijing on Sunday sought to downplay the effects that U.S. tariffs were having on its economy, which sends approximately 15% of all exports to the U.S., or roughly $500 billion out of $3.4 trillion, according to the World Bank.

“The abuse of tariffs by the United States will have an impact on China, but ‘the sky will not fall,’” a spokesman said in a statement to the New York Times. “China is a super economy. We are strong and resilient in the face of the U.S. tariff bullying.”

The antagonistic posturing, however, betrays just how dependent China is on the U.S., according to economists. Exports remain the country’s strongest engine for growth while its government works to subsidize and unwind a real estate crisis that has decimated the investments of millions of property owners. China is also less than two years removed from a record-high unemployment rate among its youth.

In addition to the 34% tariff on all U.S. imports, China placed 11 U.S. companies on its unreliable importers list and another 16 on its export control list, the outlet reported.

Disagreements among Chinese economists have led to the repression of criticism within the country by government censors.

“The United States is shooting itself in the foot by tariffs, so we should not shoot ourselves in the foot as well,” He Bin, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Center for Public Policy Research, wrote in a recent social media post that exploded in popularity before being wiped from the internet. “The correct countermeasure is to implement unilateral zero tariffs on imports from all countries.”

Then, on Sunday, the academy announced it would be terminating the center where Mr. He works.