Trump raises China tariffs to 125 percent

BEIJING

Facing a global market meltdown, U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday abruptly backed down on his tariffs on most nations for 90 days, but raised his tax rate on Chinese imports to 125 percent.

Following days of global market turmoil, Wall Street stocks surged in reaction to Trump's announcement.

"I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE" on higher tariffs that took effect on Wednesday, Trump said on his Truth Social network, saying he took the decision after more than 75 countries had reached out to negotiate and did not retaliate against the United States.

Only a flat rate of 10 percent tariffs on all countries that took effect on Saturday will remain in place. This marked a stunning reverse from often punishing levies that hit even many of the closest U.S. allies.

But Trump accused China of still "ripping off" his country.

"Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World's Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125 percent, effective immediately," Trump said.

Trump had only hours earlier ramped up the duties on Chinese goods to a giant 104 percent. China then retaliated by rising tariffs on U.S. imports to 84 percent.

"At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable," Trump said.

'Tariff war could cut US-China goods trade by 80 pct'

The World Trade Organization chief said Wednesday the U.S.-China tariff war could reduce trade in goods between the two economic giants by 80 percent, pulling down the rest of the world economy.

"The escalating trade tensions between the United States and China pose a significant risk of a sharp contraction in bilateral trade. Our preliminary projections suggest that merchandise trade between these two economies could decrease by as much as 80 percent," WTO director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said in a statement.

She said the United States and China together accounted for three per cent of world trade and warned that the conflict could "severely damage the global economic outlook."

Okonjo-Iweala warned that the world economy risked breaking into two blocs, one centred around the United States and the other China.

"Of particular concern is the potential fragmentation of global trade along geopolitical lines. A division of the global economy into two blocs could lead to a long-term reduction in global real GDP by nearly seven percent," she said.

She urged all WTO members "to address this challenge through cooperation and dialogue".

"It is critical for the global community to work together to preserve the openness of the international trading system," said Okonjo-Iweala.

"WTO members have agency to protect the open, rules-based trading system. The WTO serves as a vital platform for dialogue. Resolving these issues within a cooperative framework is essential."

'BE COOL!'

The European Union had earlier launched its own counterattack, announcing measures targeting some U.S. products from Tuesday in retaliation for American duties on global steel and aluminum exports.

The 27-nation bloc, which Trump has accused of being created to "screw" the United States, will hit more than 20 billion euros' worth of U.S. products, including soybeans, motorcycles and beauty products.

But the EU notably did not retaliate against the 20 percent U.S. tariffs that came into effect a minute after midnight on Wednesday.

Trump announced a week ago on what he called "Liberation Day" that he would impose a 10 percent baseline tariff on all countries that took effect on Saturday, with additional rates for economies including China and the EU with a large trade surplus with the United States that took effect on Wednesday.

With markets roiled for the past week, Trump earlier Wednesday urged Americans to "BE COOL!" and said that "Everything is going to work out well"

Wall Street stocks rocketed higher Wednesday after Trump's pause announcement.

Minutes after Trump unveiled it, the S&P 500 surged 6.0 percent higher to 5,281.44, snapping a brutal run of losses over the past week.

European and Asian stock markets had earlier tumbled along with oil and the dollar as the confrontation escalated.

U.S. bond yields had also risen amid a sharp sell-off -- a major economic red light as sovereign government debt is normally seen as a safe haven for investors in troubled times.

Meanwhile, tariffs of 84 percent on all Chinese imports of American goods took effect on Thursday, deepening the trade war between Beijing and Washington.

The levies will apply to all U.S. products entering the world's second-largest economy, which according to the office of the U.S. Trade Representative, totalled $143.5 billion in 2024.