China Ministry of Commerce Firmly Retaliates Against Trump's Threat of '50% Additional Tariffs'

The Chinese government, while protesting that it will "take resolute countermeasures" after U.S. President Donald Trump warned that he could impose an additional 50% tariff on China, also called for a resolution through dialogue.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce stated in a statement posted on its website on the 8th, "China has taken note of the U.S. threat to impose a 50% tariff on China and firmly opposes it," adding, "If the U.S. implements the escalated tariff measures, China will take resolute countermeasures to protect its rights and interests."

The spokesperson emphasized, "The so-called 'reciprocal tariffs' imposed by the U.S. on China are completely baseless and a typical unilateral bullying act," and "China's countermeasures are entirely justified actions to safeguard its sovereignty, security, development interests, and the normal international trade order."

He continued, "The U.S. threat to raise tariffs on China is adding wrong to wrong and once again reveals the essence of American intimidation, which China can never accept," and "If the U.S. insists on this path, China will definitely stand firm to the end."

The spokesperson reiterated, "China emphasizes again that there are no winners in a trade war, and protectionism has no way out," adding, "Pressure and threats are not the right way to engage with China. China urges the U.S. to immediately correct its wrong approach, abolish all unilateral tariff measures against China, stop economic and trade suppression, and properly resolve differences through equal dialogue based on mutual respect."

After China announced a 34% retaliatory tariff against the U.S. in response to the U.S. reciprocal tariffs, President Trump responded on his social media platform Truth Social the day before, saying, "If the 34% tariff is not withdrawn by the 8th, the U.S. will impose an additional 50% tariff on China. It will take effect from the 9th."

He also stated that if China does not accept the demands, all talks requested by China with the U.S. will be canceled, and negotiations will begin with other countries imposing reciprocal tariffs besides China.

Earlier, President Trump had imposed additional general tariffs of 10% each on all Chinese imports in February and March, respectively, and decided to impose a 34% reciprocal tariff starting from the 9th. The total tariff rate is 54%. China retaliated against the previous 20% tariff increase with targeted tariffs aimed at specific U.S. products, but this time it imposed retaliatory tariffs raising tariffs on all U.S. imports equally by 34%.