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By Heraldviews

China announced on Wednesday that it will raise tariffs on imports from the United States to 84 percent, escalating a trade conflict that has reignited under the Biden administration and drawn fresh attention following former President Donald J. Trump’s recent policy moves.

The new tariffs, a sharp increase from the current rate of 34 percent, will take effect at 12:01 a.m. local time on Thursday, according to a statement from China’s Ministry of Finance.

The measure comes in direct response to Washington’s latest round of tariff hikes on Chinese goods. On Monday, the U.S. government increased its own tariffs on Chinese exports to match the same 84 percent threshold, describing the move as a “reciprocal adjustment” to protect American industries from what it called unfair trade practices.

“The U.S.'s practice of escalating tariffs on China is a mistake on top of a mistake,” the Chinese finance ministry said. “It seriously infringes on China's legitimate rights and interests and damages the rules-based multilateral trading system.”

The Chinese government has framed the new tariffs as a countermeasure aimed at defending its economic sovereignty, and has declined to say whether it is open to further negotiations with the White House.

“If the U.S. insists on further escalating its economic and trade restrictions, China has the firm will and abundant means to take necessary countermeasures and fight to the end,” the Ministry of Commerce said in a white paper published earlier this week.

In recent months, Beijing has consistently pushed back against American trade policies. Last week, China imposed a 34 percent blanket tariff on U.S. imports and introduced export restrictions on rare earth minerals—key components in high-tech manufacturing. The action followed what the Trump campaign branded “Liberation Day” tariffs, which added another 50 percent duty on Chinese goods.

Though many countries have sought to open backchannel talks with Washington, China has not appeared eager to resume negotiations. On Wednesday, Lin Jian, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the U.S. must demonstrate “an attitude of equality, respect and mutual benefit” before any dialogue can proceed.

The white paper also criticized the United States for failing to uphold commitments made during the “Phase 1” trade agreement brokered during Mr. Trump’s first term. Among the claims, Chinese officials cited a U.S. law threatening to ban TikTok unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells the app to American investors. Chinese authorities argue that such a mandate contradicts a prior agreement that neither side would pressure companies into forced technology transfers.

TikTok has emerged as a central point of contention in the broader U.S.-China trade rift. Mr. Trump recently extended a temporary order allowing the app to operate for an additional 75 days after a proposed acquisition by American firms fell through. ByteDance representatives reportedly told U.S. officials that Beijing would not approve any sale unless broader negotiations on trade and tariffs were first held.

Chinese officials maintain that, when accounting for services and operations of U.S. companies within China, the two countries maintain a roughly balanced economic relationship. In 2023, Beijing recorded a $26.57 billion deficit in services trade with the United States, which includes sectors such as insurance, banking and consulting—areas not factored into Mr. Trump’s original justification for tariffs, which focused on tangible goods.

“History and facts have proven that the United States’ increase in tariffs will not solve its own problems,” the Ministry of Commerce said. “Instead, it will trigger sharp fluctuations in financial markets, push up U.S. inflation, weaken its industrial base, and increase the risk of an economic recession—ultimately backfiring on itself.”

The latest developments mark another turning point in the long-running trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies, with ripple effects expected across global markets in the coming days.

With additional agency reports