Washington/Beijing| The United States has intensified its trade standoff with China, as President Donald Trump announced a dramatic increase in tariffs on Chinese imports to 125%.
The move marks the latest development in a rapidly escalating economic confrontation between the world’s two largest economies.
President Trump made the announcement Wednesday via his Truth Social platform, stating that the increase was a direct response to Beijing’s earlier decision to raise tariffs on U.S. goods to 84%.
In his post, Trump cited what he described as China’s continued economic exploitation of global markets.
“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%, effective immediately,” Trump wrote.
“Ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable.”
The latest move by Washington followed just hours after China’s Ministry of Finance revealed its own tariff hike—an additional 50% on top of its existing duties—bringing the total tariff burden on American goods to 84%.
The measure was widely interpreted as a direct counter to Washington’s previous increase to 104% earlier in the week.
The tit-for-tat measures are part of a trade war that has been steadily intensifying since March, when President Trump reimposed sweeping tariffs on all Chinese imports starting at 20%.
This was followed by another 34% hike last week, which Beijing matched, before Trump responded with an additional 50%, bringing the U.S. rate to 104%.
Wednesday’s announcement pushes the U.S. tariffs to a historic 125%, signaling a hardening of Washington’s stance and a deepening rupture in U.S.-China economic relations.
Trade analysts warn that this accelerating tariff war could have far-reaching consequences for global trade, investment, and financial stability.
Businesses on both sides of the Pacific are bracing for supply chain disruptions, rising costs, and heightened uncertainty as economic diplomacy gives way to confrontation.
China has strongly condemned the U.S. tariff actions, accusing Washington of violating the principles of free trade and international law.
In addition to imposing tariffs, Beijing has filed a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO), and added several American firms to its “unreliable entity” list.
Chinese authorities have also imposed export controls on a dozen more U.S. companies, blocking access to critical components and dual-use technologies.
Trump, however, remains adamant that his administration’s approach is long overdue. At a National Republican Congressional Committee dinner earlier this week, he defended his trade policy as a necessary corrective to what he called decades of unfair trade practices by China.
He argued that tariffs are not only a tool to rebalance trade, but also a lever to rebuild American manufacturing and economic independence.
“These measures may be tough,” Trump said, “but they are the only way to ensure a level playing field. We will not be bullied, and we will not allow other countries to take advantage of us any longer.”
Despite mounting market volatility and concerns over the global economic impact, neither side has signaled a willingness to de-escalate.
With tariff levels now at historic highs and diplomacy at a standstill, the U.S.-China trade war appears poised to enter a new and even more volatile phase.
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