China on Sunday urged the United States to “completely cancel” the reciprocal tariffs introduced during the Donald Trump administration, which have pushed the total tariff burden on Chinese goods to 145%, according to the news agency AFP.
“We urge the US to… take a big step to correct its mistakes, completely cancel the wrong practice of ‘reciprocal tariffs’ and return to the right path of mutual respect,” a spokesperson from China’s commerce ministry said in an official statement.
In response to the Trump administration’s recent tariff exemption on certain consumer electronics, China described the move as merely a “small step” toward reversing what it calls the “wrong practice” of imposing the 145% tariff. “China is now evaluating the impact,” the spokesperson added.
These sharply elevated tariffs from both sides—145% by the US and a retaliatory 125% by China—have alarmed businesses dependent on US-China trade. Many companies are not only concerned about securing future orders but are also beginning to question whether their operations can remain viable if the trade tensions continue.
Experts caution that the prolonged strain could jeopardize the decades-old trade relationship that has been central to economic ties between the two nations.
The escalating trade tensions between the US and China took a sharp turn on Friday, as China hiked tariffs on American goods from 84% to 125%, in retaliation to the US increasing its duties on Chinese products to 145%. This tit-for-tat move marks a deepening of the trade war that has strained global markets and diplomatic ties.
In a strongly worded statement, China’s commerce ministry expressed unwavering confidence in prevailing over what it called the US’s “economic bullying.” Beijing accused Washington of unilateralism and urged other countries to form a united front against such practices. The ministry stated that China would no longer be swayed by the US’s tariff tactics, emphasizing that any further infringement on China’s interests would be met with a resolute counterattack: “If the US continues to play the tariff numbers game, China will ignore it… China will resolutely counterattack and fight to the end.”
At the same time, China is actively seeking to strengthen trade relations with alternative partners, signaling a strategic pivot aimed at reducing reliance on the US market and building broader global alliances.