The White House has enacted a substantial 104% increase in tariffs on Chinese imports, as announced by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. This move, effective from noon Eastern time on April 9th, targets China’s failure to lift its retaliatory tariffs against U.S. goods.
The decision comes on the heels of China’s unyielding stance, declaring it would “fight to the end” following President Trump’s threat to impose an additional 50% tariff. This intensification in the trade war was provoked by China’s earlier imposition of 34% retaliatory tariffs, which itself was a countermeasure to Trump’s initial 34% tariffs on Chinese merchandise, layered atop the pre-existing 20% duties.
The imposition signals growing tensions between the world’s two largest economies, pushing the international trade landscape into an unpredictable zone. Markets and businesses now brace for potential fallout as the full impact of these amplified tariffs begins to unfold.
