Levitt: "Takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the 9th"
"If China reaches out for negotiations, the President will be generous"
The Donald Trump administration in the United States has imposed retaliatory tariffs again on China, which responded with reciprocal tariffs, and from the 9th (local time), it will impose a total of 104% additional tariffs on China since the start of its second term.
White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt answered a question on the 8th briefing regarding the additional 50% tariffs on China announced by President Trump the previous day, saying, "They will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on the 9th."
She explained, "The retaliatory measures are due to China's mistake, and when the U.S. is hit, it hits back harder. That is why the 104% tariffs are being implemented."
Earlier, President Trump announced that after imposing two rounds of 10% additional tariffs on China since his inauguration on January 20, from the 9th, he would impose 34% reciprocal tariffs on China. When China retaliated by imposing tariffs at the same level, President Trump threatened to retaliate again by adding an additional 50% tariff the day before. If the U.S. enforces the reciprocal tariffs as planned, the additional tariffs on China will rise to 104% during Trump's second term starting from the 9th.
However, the White House also left open the possibility of negotiations with China.
Spokesperson Levitt stated, "President Trump believes that Chinese President Xi Jinping and China want to negotiate," and added, "If China contacts us for negotiations, the President will be incredibly generous."
President Trump also showed willingness to engage in dialogue with China through his social networking service (SNS) Truth Social on the same day, saying, "China also wants a deal but doesn't know how to start. We are waiting for their call. It will happen."
China expressed firm opposition to the U.S. threat of an additional 50% tariff, indicating it will not yield. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce criticized, "The so-called reciprocal tariffs imposed by the U.S. on China are completely baseless and a typical unilateral bullying act," and added, "If the U.S. insists on this, China will definitely fight back to the end."
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