China has revealed the details of its response to new tariffs from the United States on its exports, sanctioning a number of US firms, slapping additional tariffs of 10-15 per cent on selected American goods and announcing plans to bring a case to the World Trade Organization over the matter.
A 15 per cent duty will be applied to imports of US poultry and agricultural products including wheat, corn and cotton, according to a government statement. Tariffs of 10 per cent will be applied to imports of soybeans, pork, beef, fruit, vegetables and dairy products.
Beijing’s actions were timed to coincide with the US’ doubling of universal tariffs on Chinese goods, a move announced by US President Donald Trump last week to augment the 10 per cent tariffs in effect since February. The escalatory tariffs on China – and other major trading partners – enacted or threatened after Trump took office in January are widely viewed as the opening shots of a new trade war.
The Ministry of Commerce added 15 US firms – including a number of companies linked to defence and security – to China’s export control list. These companies will need special approval to receive exports of “dual-use” items, goods that carry both civilian and military applications.
Ten other American firms were added to Beijing’s “unreliable entity list”, effectively banning them from trade with China or making any new investments in the country. These companies were sanctioned for taking part in arms sales to Taiwan or engaging in military cooperation with the island, according to a ministry spokesperson.
The ministry also announced the specific punishment it would levy on Illumina, an American company that was added to the list in February in response to the first tariff increase of Trump’s second term. The biotechnology firm is now banned from exporting its genetic sequencing tools to China.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday, Trump appeared ready to continue the tariff blitz. “To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States,” he said. “Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun!”
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