China has said it is ready to “fight to the end” if US President Donald Trump carries out his threat to raise tariffs by 50%. Beijing emphasizes that now the size of the tariffs no longer matters. About this informs Reuters.
If neither side makes concessions, the combined level of new US tariffs on Chinese imports in 2025 could reach 104%.
“The US side’s threat to raise tariffs against China is a mistake upon a mistake, which once again demonstrates the blackmail nature of the US side. If the US insists on its way, China will fight to the end.” – said the statement of the Ministry of Commerce of China.
Trump has warned that he will impose an additional 50% tariff on Chinese imports on April 9 unless Beijing reverses the 34% tariffs it imposed on American goods last week.
The Chinese tariffs were a response to the previously imposed 34% tariff by the US. The tariff was added to the previous 20% tariff announced by Trump earlier this year, bringing the average US tariff on Chinese goods to 76%.
“If tariffs keep going up and up, it’s going to be a battle of wills and principles, not economics.”, — noted Xu Tianchen, senior economist for China at the Economist Intelligence Unit.
In the context of China already dealing with a tariff rate of more than 60%, it doesn’t matter if it goes up another 50% or even 500%, he said.
