In a move that deepens the U.S.-China trade conflict, China’s finance ministry declared on Tuesday that it will levy further tariffs on various American imports. Starting February 10, coal and liquified natural gas from the U.S. will face an additional 15% tariff, while imports of crude oil, farm machinery, and select automobiles will be subjected to a 10% increase in duties.
This announcement follows swiftly after the U.S. enforced a 10% blanket tariff on Chinese imports, escalating the ongoing trade dispute between the two economic superpowers. Beijing criticized the U.S. tariffs as a serious breach of World Trade Organization rules.
In tandem with the new tariffs, Chinese commerce ministry and customs officials introduced export restrictions on several critical minerals, including tungsten, molybdenum, tellurium, and ruthenium—materials essential to various technological and industrial applications.
Simultaneously, U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to a temporary halt on the introduction of a planned 25% tariff hike on imports from Canada and Mexico, contingent upon the countries’ efforts to stem the flow of illicit fentanyl into the United States with border strengthening.
