Tariff Tsunami: U.S. strikes back at China with 245% import duties

Washington: The United States announced late Tuesday that China now faces tariffs of up to 245 per cent on exports to the U.S., in response to Beijing’s recent retaliatory trade measures.

The White House said the new tariffs come as part of a broader national security review into critical resource imports, including rare earth elements and other high-tech materials. The administrative order, released Tuesday night, also provided context for reciprocal tariffs first announced April 2.

“China now faces up to a 245 per cent tariff on imports to the United States as a result of its retaliatory actions,” the White House said in a statement.

The announcement noted that President Donald Trump’s “America First” trade policy had prompted outreach from more than 75 countries to renegotiate trade deals. Higher individualized tariffs for those countries have been paused amid ongoing talks, except for China, which moved forward with its own trade restrictions.

A few months ago, China banned exports of gallium, germanium, antimony, and other high-tech minerals, citing national interest. This week, it extended those restrictions to include six heavy rare earth metals and rare earth magnets — materials crucial to industries such as automotive manufacturing, aerospace, semiconductors, and defense.

Last Friday, China raised tariffs on U.S. goods to 125 per cent in a tit-for-tat response to the Trump administration’s earlier increase, which brought U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods to 145 per cent. A 90-day pause remains in place for tariffs affecting other countries.

The White House did not clarify whether the 245 per cent tariff would be applied uniformly, but said the cap reflects the maximum possible increase amid the ongoing trade dispute.

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