China has strongly condemned the new tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, saying that it "firmly opposes" the measures and will implement countermeasures to protect its interests.

Trump on Wednesday said that China will be hit by 34% tariffs on top of the 20% he announced earlier, bringing the total levies on Chinese goods to 54%.  Additionally, Trump signed an executive order to close the "de minimis" trade loophole, which has permitted duty-free entry of low-value shipments from Hong Kong and China into the U.S.

Beijing urged Washington to immediately cancel the tariffs, warning that they endanger global economic development, disrupt supply chains, and even harm U.S. businesses.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry said that the tariffs "do not comply with international trade rules and seriously harm the legitimate rights and interests of the relevant parties."

"The US claims to have suffered losses in international trade, using so-called 'reciprocity' as an excuse to raise tariffs on all trade partners," Beijing added.

China has called for "dialogue" to resolve the dispute. "There is no winner in a trade war, and there is no way out for protectionism," it said, adding that "history has proven that raising tariffs does not solve the US's own problems."

In response, China plans retaliatory measures, levying up to 15% on U.S. agricultural products such as soybeans, pork, and chicken. These countermeasures aim to safeguard China's interests amidst an escalating trade war that threatens its fragile economic recovery.

 

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