Beijing Slaps 125% Tariff on US Imports; Effectively Shuts the Door on US/China Trade
“Right now, China’s in a position where it can’t do what it absolutely needs to do.”
China announced on Friday that it will raise tariffs on U.S. imports from 84% to 125%, further escalating the trade war between Washington and Beijing.
The move is largely symbolic. As former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told Fox News host Larry Kudlow on Thursday night, once tariffs hit 50%, further increases have limited practical impact. At that point, Ross explained, leaders effectively signal that they no longer seek a trade relationship.
China’s Ministry of Finance issued a statement that read:
The US’s imposition of abnormally high tariffs on China seriously violates international economic and trade rules, and also violates basic economic laws and common sense. It is a completely unilateral bullying and coercive practice.
Given that at the current tariff level, there is no market acceptance for U.S. goods exported to China, if the U.S. continues to impose additional tariffs on Chinese goods exported to the U.S., China will ignore it.
China expert Gordon Chang joined Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on Thursday morning to discuss the mounting conflict between China and the U.S. Chinese President Xi Jinping, he claims, is in an increasingly difficult political position because he can’t do what “absolutely” must be done which is to open up the lines of communication.
“Picking up the phone and calling President Trump would be the economically rational thing to do,” Chang said, “but Xi Jinping has configured the Chinese political system so that only the most hostile answers are considered to be acceptable, which means he’s boxed himself in.”
“He can’t do that, because if he does, his Communist Party fellow leaders, they’re going to criticize him, so right now, China’s in a position where it can’t do what it absolutely needs to do.”
Chang, the author of Plan Red: China’s Project to Destroy America, said President Donald Trump is not afraid of Xi Jinping. He noted that China was already in a weakened position before Trump announced the new tariffs, adding that the country is currently experiencing its own version of the 2008 financial crisis.
“The Chinese don’t have any cards in this,” he explained. “They’re only holding a pair of twos and Trump has a royal straight flush. The Chinese think they can intimidate Trump, they can coerce him into surrendering preemptively.” But Trump is not backing down.
Contrary to assertions from Chinese Communist Party sources that their economy is growing at a rate of 5%, Chang suggests the true rate is around zero:
We see from the price signals it’s in a deflationary spiral down which is inconsistent with the 5-point growth that they reported for last year.
This is coming at a time when China is having its own 2008. In 2008, they didn’t want to have a recession, so they overstimulated their economy. They’ve accumulated all this debt. They don’t know what to do with it because this debt is internal which means if you try to resolve it, local parties are going to get hurt. They don’t have the political will to do that.
They’ve got their 2008. They’ve got Trump on tariffs. They’ve got deglobalization. This is all hitting China at the same time. And they have no answers for it in Beijing.
"Tariff and trade wars have no winners. China does not want to fight these wars but is not scared of them," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday in response to a question noting that the White House has confirmed many Chinese exports to the US now face… pic.twitter.com/VxObNNcfil
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) April 11, 2025
As trade tensions escalate with China, Trump is taking steps to curb Beijing’s expanding influence in the Panama Canal region. On Wednesday, Fox News reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Panama’s Minister for Canal Affairs signed a joint declaration reaffirming Panamanian sovereignty and detailing new avenues for military collaboration.
According to the report, the U.S. and Panama have formally entered into a new defense and security agreement designed to strengthen oversight of the Panama Canal—an initiative Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described as essential for countering China’s expanding influence in the region.
The Canal Authority emphasized that the agreement “reaffirms respect for and recognition of Panamanian sovereignty over the interoceanic waterway.”
The pact also reinforces both countries’ commitment to the Neutrality Treaty and the legal framework guiding canal operations, including Panama’s Constitution, the treaty provisions, and the Organic Law governing the Canal.
Press Release from the Panama Canal. pic.twitter.com/bLfhWzRYFo
— The Panama Canal (@thepanamacanal) April 10, 2025
Xi either cannot—or will not—work with Trump toward a compromise, instead vowing to “fight to the end.”
Meanwhile, 75 countries have already reached out to the White House to initiate trade negotiations. In just over a week, Trump has established a baseline 10% tariff across all nations and managed to isolate China. To me, that sounds more like success than the onset of an international trade war.
He’s making progress toward leveling the international playing field. Yes, there may be short-term pain, but he’s clearly playing the long game.
Bartiromo remarked this week that it feels like the U.S. is engaged in a “soft war” with China. She’s right. And the trade war is just one of several issues straining the relationship.
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on X or LinkedIn.
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Comments
The EU and China are stupid enough to think they’re dealing with Biden and the globalist Democrats and traitors like Milley that just want an excuse to cave to them.
Especially because it’s come out now the insanity with the spy balloon where they effectively told China that they didn’t care if they were spying on us as long as it wasn’t public.
That’s what has caught them off guard, they’re used to dealing with people that DO NOT CARE if America actually benefits or not.
Once it’s big, it has no economic effect. Trade is zero, and any percentage of it is also zero no matter how big.
Where will we get our medications?
My husband is on life sustaining medication
Gonzotx… thank God for Capitalism…. he’ll get them.
One of the best responses on capitalism I have seen in a long time.
My meds are all generic and they all come from Israel.
India also makes pharmaceuticals. I imagine they will be happy to take up any slack.
But get your hubby’s primary to order an additional 90 day supply of his meds… today; they will understand concerns about China.
Even if paying cash, its good to have back-up meds.
Your insurance company or Medicare Part D decides how many days to give you of your prescription meds. Sometimes they will only give you a 30 day supply at one time. Or you can pay full price if you have a doctor’s order.
“PANIC ATTACK!!!!!
You can only get 30 day supply!!!!!
PANIC!!!!!!!!”
I have built up a 6 month supply of meds by having every RX filled at the earliest date allowed over the past 5 years. You can often get refills early by calling your RX supplier and telling them you are going abroad or otherwise traveling. In some cases you might use one or more over the counter over the counter meds as a substitute for RX meds. And many RX meds are cheap generics.
Not all APIs for medications are made in China. Not even close. According to this in 2021 China had 13% API DMF, India 48%, and the United States 10%. So even if China cuts off all API manufacturing from the United States other countries can pick up the slack if they wish,.
(API DMF = Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Drug Master File)
Israel
My cancer drug comes from Germany. My insurance helps and, besides, I need it.
Is your medication made in China? If not, why worry? If it is Chinese made, well you should probably worry about that!
Consider looking for other brands – American made, European made, Indian made etc.
China has no more leverage: once the water is deeper than your nose, it doesn’t matter how much deeper it gets. They may hold out a little longer but ultimately they must settle and largely on Trump’s terms.
The things China buys from the U.S. are farm products, airplanes, oil, and various technological products. These are all products which can find other markets and for which China will have to pay more for from other sources – if they can get them. They may end up in a bidding war with Russia for American grain for example. However the things America buys from China are a multitude of small products easily manufactured in any number of other countries, Vietnam and Thailand for example.
So continuing these exports which form a large portion of their economy is vital particularly now because their whole “new construction” based domestic economy is literally (heh!) collapsing around them. The EV revolution in which they so cheerfully invested so many beans is also beginning to fall apart. The U.S. is over the whole electric vehicle in every garage push and Europe will follow suit as their car manufacturers are rebelling.
So, if you can live without a Chinese toaster oven et al for the next three or four months, things are going to fine.
I know things have gotten serious when DW triggers the idle shopping cart she’s been assembling at Temu for the past three months.
It was fallacy that giving china preferential trade relationship would “encourage democracy”. The US got taken advantage of for too long. The trade relationship with china needs to be re-set.
But chicoms are prepared to starve out their own citizens. What’s a few million in a country of one billion? Millions of covid deaths in china got erased in official government statistics.
Its also not obvious that american companies that have been working out of china will relocate back to the US. They might choose to relocate to other asian nations that get on board with trump. The asian nations that negotiate first could be the real beneficiaries.
As Mark Steyn wrote…. the West thought that by opening up trade and most favored nation status that China would become more like us. Instead, the West looks more like China with suppression of speech and all. This isn’t a skirmish, this is war by other means for world domination. A new flashpoint will be Taiwan.
Remove most favored status from china now. Stop pussy footing around.
Virtually all the parts and supplies I use in my business are manufactured in China; there is no alternative.
No one else is likely to take up the slack either; already I’m told one critical piece is discontinued/no longer available. I’ve been scrambling to find alternatives.
My little business may become a statistic in the next few months, but I still bless DJT and his policies for the country.
Where will we get our medications?
My husband is on life sustaining medication I’m afraid a lot of small businesses will go under
So much is made in china
Yes, by all means, Thank Donald F. Trump for destroying your small business, and tens of thousands of other small businesses. After all, the tariffs are “the most beautiful word” according to Trump.
What did Donald F. Trump have to do with anything? The President is Donald J. Trump.
He has certainly destroyed you, though the destruction is self-imposed.
More mush from the wimp.
Don’t ever change, Junior.
Can’t teach an old dog new tricks although I’m betting Kameltoe could learn a new trick or two.
Out of curiosity, what line of business?
What is it you need?
Where do your competitors get their parts and supplies?
good boy orange harvey . Oh he ‘s soooooooo smart! right Elizabeth?
“I think that what you have assembled in your vision is a turning point and an inflection point in American history. And so just being a part of that is the greatest honor,” Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, said, after calling the president “family.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-called-cabinet-meeting-walking-193232817.html
You are a communist roader….. may the chains of the CCP lay softly on your shoulders…
Go F yourself and the horse you rode in on.
He prefers goats and sheep.
I bet he just loves wearing cowboy boots too.
The cultist, on cue, spits out approved talking points to soothe the derangement, but the cultist anger remains so apparent.
If only you had not swallowed every hoax, but you did and still do, which is why you are a cultist with a view that matters only to your own ears.
The better Trump does, the madder this loser gets. Keep crying!
This isn’t the first time you’ve been disrespectful towards Elizabeth Stauffer, you little pissant. That’s no way to treat a lady, you insufferable little putz. What did she do to you, anyway? Not invite you to her Halloween party back in 3rd grade? Pick on someone your own size.
By the way, numbnuts, we’ve had a nice community here for two decades, going back to before Obama was elected. And in all that time there have only been about four annoying little insects, three of whom – and especially you – still buzz around here. Piss off, queenie.
I can’t believe Usenet had .kill files decades ago, and yet blogging software lacks this obvious and important feature.
I just hope to be lucky enough to be within reasonable driving distance when they schedule your sentencing.
“Mr. President, on behalf of America’s manufacturers, I want to thank you for standing up to the Chinese communist party and fighting for our main streets, for our workers … Main Street is grateful for you,” she said.
SQUEEE- oh orange harvey we lerrrrrrrve you , like Elizabeth Stauffer
“Mr. President, on behalf of America’s manufacturers, I want to thank you for standing up to the Chinese communist party and fighting for our main streets, for our workers … Main Street is grateful for you,” she said.
((( kneel and knobslobber }}}}}
Attorney General Pam Bondi told the president his favorite fairy tale about the election and sought to rewrite the Constitution on the fly, implying that he should have control of the U.S. government’s budget, rather than Congress
“You were overwhelmingly elected by the biggest majority,” she said, repeating a lie that the president has often told. “The Americans want you to be president because of your agenda, and the courts are ruling that you have the authority to determine how the money of this country will be spent. That’s what the American citizens wanted, and that’s what they’re getting,” she said.
I have an idea: let’s report tjv1156 to the ‘see something, say something report a woke progressive for prosecution hotline!
The cultist becomes a serial spammer.
China is boxed into a corner. They have abused every economic / diplomatic relationship around the globe. So many countries are cheering on America vis a vie trading with China. Xi thought he ow ed America because he owned Joe and Hunter. Xi just had his own FAFO moment.
in order to get out of that box and to change the subject, China will invade Taiwan
Maybe Taiwan should have a nuke, doomsday defense?
please – Elizabeth Stauffer- you think YOU are sycophant?? you ain’t seen nuthin….
Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick was keen to make the president feel better about his capitulation on tariffs on Wednesday by assuring him that many as-yet unnamed nations are trying to negotiate new trade deals with the United States.
“They have come with offers that they never, ever, ever would have come with but for the moves that the President has made, demanding that people treat the United States with respect. We’re getting the respect we deserve now,” he said.
The cultist has wet his pants. Change them, please.
I’m thinking the clock is ticking on your BS here, Johnny.
It’s only a matter of time until you get blacklisted.
Good riddance, may they take out the trash soon.
$154 billion (less than 10%) of our exports go to China. China exports over $500 billion to the US and we’re their largest single trading partner. .
China is making a foolish move here. It has invested heavily in manufacturing plants that might just go offline. Watch for Trump to counter with Kevin O’Leary’s idea of a 400% tariff on China.
China’s economy is geared towards exports and we are their biggest customer. Meanwhile, this administration actively wants our economy to decouple from dependence on imports from China.
By dollar value, they export 3x as much to us as we do to them.
They are the absolute worst on the planet for intellectual property abuse, currency manipulation, slave labor, subsidized exports, dumping overproduction to destroy another nation’s industry, and literally every other non-tariff barrier in existence.
There’s no way they win this.
I think the old term for it was-is-mercantilism.
Chinese commies are just as bad as Islamists, both are truly evil.
sanction China’s Ministry of Finance banning them from this country for stupidity. They are insufferable. Their statements are always insulting.
Now it should be made abundantly clear, if you trade with china, you do not trade with us.
I listened to multiple people talk about China’s trade policies. One of the best was Kevin O’Leary talking that China will make deals to get in products, copy them, sell them to the world, not let you do anything again with that product in their country, or if you try to go to their courts they block you, which is all against the WTO rules since day 1.
O’Leary and Chang both were solid on how China nailed countries with Tariffs and blocking products after copying them, using IPs, and other illegal acts. O’Leary wants 400% tariff by the USA on China as he said it would be needed before China would really deal.
With the WTO and “Fair Trade” we have seen many companies move their industries to foreign countries to operate and then sell back in the USA. This includes Big Pharma, Furniture, Agriculture, Electronics, Ship building, Auto Building, Wood, Metal Production, and others that put the USA national security at risk. Too long foreign countries have put tariffs and VATs on American goods but the USA has not and we are dying as a country. Trump’s Tariff plan is to make companies to move back to the USA, restore the middle class, and fix national security.
I see the NPC masquerading as a tween girl was stuck in a loop.
What he doesn’t realize is that someday he will die, just like all of God’s creatures. And he can take with him to his grave the smug satisfaction of knowing that for a brief period of his existence, starting in 2025, he imposed upon a small online community where he dispensed his caustic and insulting commentary.
He won’t be missed.
China has vastly underestimated the American consumer while ignoring the will of the constituency.
Make Levis Great Again, and let us once again export the #1 American product since 1783…popular music!
Levis will never be great again.
Dang… look at how long ago Levi’s lost me a as a customer for life: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=levis+boy+scouts&t=osx&ia=web
You know what we need from China:
Slave labor and cheap production.
If we sent them the E.P.A. ,DFYS , Unions, , Department of labor
and all them Federal Employees we just canned …
They would either go under, or exterminate them.
It is just uncanny how much Xi resembles Winnie the Pooh. It’s as if they were twins separated at birth, I don’t know why Xi gets so upset when this is pointed out. Pooh cuts a fine figure of a stuffed animal. Maybe XI should go get stuffed too.
More unintentional comedy courtesy of THE MORON.
Another telling scene from Wednesday: U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the man who is ostensibly responsible for implementing Trump’s trade policies, was testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee when Trump announced the tariff “pause.” Greer was quite literally in the middle of defending Trump’s higher tariffs when he learned that those tariffs were being postponed.
“It looks like your boss just pulled out the rug from under you and paused the tariffs,” Rep. Steven Horsford (D–Nev.) said at the time.
In short: There is no plan. There never was one. That fact has become painfully obvious in the past week.
Like the underpants gnomes of South Park lore, Trump believed that tariffs would lead directly to profits, and neither he nor anyone in the White House seems to have given a single thought as to what steps might be necessary in between—or whether such an outcome was even possible.
Still, Trump’s dutiful staffers and sycophants did their best to spin this as a win. Trump’s partial U-turn on higher tariffs was “the art of the deal,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. If that’s true, one must wonder, what did America get in this deal? Meanwhile, Bessent told reporters that this was Trump’s “strategy all along.” If that was the case, why didn’t Greer know about it?”
https://reason.com/2025/04/10/america-gained-nothing-from-trumps-latest-tariff-stunt/
LAFFRIOT!
HEY- I tolllllllllddd ya!
THE MORON gets taken to the woodshed by someone who actually knows what he’s talking about.
https://reason.com/video/2025/04/11/free-trade-expert-takes-down-the-best-arguments-for-tariffs/
And that’s true even if other countries are imposing tariffs on American goods.
“Just because somebody else is shooting himself in the foot, the worst possible response is to take aim and blow off a couple of your own toes in order to show them,” he says.
President Donald Trump has imposed 10 percent tariffs on nearly all imports into the United States (and far higher tariffs on goods from China). Trump says he wants to stop other countries from taking advantage of America, but his trade war is rattling stock markets and threatens to reduce Americans’ standard of living.
Hannan says protectionism never works, but that’s a lesson that politicians and voters seemingly have to learn and relearn periodically.
“Free trade is always unpopular, but it always works. What, in the end, convinces people is not theory, but practice,” says Hannan. “After the [Smoot-Hawley] tariffs, people understood that protectionism made everybody poorer, especially the people it was most designed to protect, the people on lower incomes. I have a horrible feeling that we’re about to go through that learning process again.”
OMG- the moron changed his mind AGAINNNNNN.
Now he’s exempting electronics.
LAFFFFRIOT
I mean- come on. Isn’t it time to start talking about the 25 th AMendement?
GUFFAW