China firmly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest threat to impose an additional 50% tariff on Chinese imports, vowing to respond with strong countermeasures, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.
In a statement on Tuesday, China’s Commerce Ministry condemned Washington’s proposed tariff hike, asserting that it “strongly opposes” any such actions. The ministry stated that if the U.S. insists on escalating the trade conflict, China is prepared to “fight till the end.”
The ministry described the move as an act of “blackmail” and denounced the so-called “reciprocal tariffs” as baseless and an example of unilateral coercion. It emphasized that China’s countermeasures are justified efforts to protect its national interests, sovereignty, and the principles of fair global trade.
President Trump had previously announced a 34% tariff on Chinese goods, with an additional 50% hike threatened if China did not withdraw its matching duties on U.S. imports. This comes alongside other tariffs of up to 20% already in effect on Chinese products.
Reports also surfaced that tech billionaire Elon Musk made direct appeals to Trump in an attempt to influence his tariff decisions, highlighting growing concerns from the business community.
Trump’s broad imposition of tariffs—ranging from 10% to 50% on multiple countries—has triggered significant volatility in global financial markets and intensified fears of an escalating trade war.
