China plans to put a new 34% tax on goods coming from the United States. This will start next week. China says it is doing this to answer back after President Trump raised taxes on Chinese goods. Earlier this year, Trump added a 20% tax on products from China. Now, he added another 34%. That brings the total tax up to 54%. China Hits Back with their new tax that will begin on April 10. China also put rules in place to stop some rare minerals from going to the US. These moves show that both sides are digging into a trade fight that’s getting worse fast.
China says new rules protect safety and global law
China says the new export rules are not just about money. They say these steps protect national safety. They also claim it’s about following world trade rules. China’s Ministry of Commerce said this clearly in a written message. They said the export controls will stop certain items from being sold to the US. These include rare and important minerals. China wants to show the world that they are not just reacting in anger. They want to be seen as careful and fair under world trade law. Indeed, China Hits Back in a calculated manner.
Trump responds to China with tough social media post
President Trump didn’t stay quiet. He jumped on social media and shared a loud and clear message in all capital letters. He wrote, “CHINA PLAYED IT WRONG, THEY PANICKED – THE ONE THING THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO!” This shows that both countries are standing firm as China Hits Back. Neither side is backing down. These kinds of messages make the fight even more heated. People in business and farming worry that things could get worse.
China files formal complaint with trade organization
China is not just using taxes and export rules. They also filed an official complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO). On Friday, they said that the US is breaking WTO rules with the new tariffs. China wants the WTO to step in and help settle the matter. They are asking for talks and a fair review of the taxes. This move shows that China wants to use both law and pressure to fight back. They are demonstrating how China Hits Back in every way they can.
China blocks rare earth minerals and targets companies
China also took a big step with rare earth minerals. These are special materials used in electronics and machines. China blocked the export of these minerals to the US. The list includes items like samarium, gadolinium, and terbium. This started on April 4. Along with this, China targeted some American companies. They added 16 firms to an export control list. These companies can no longer send certain products to China. They also put 11 US businesses on an “unreliable entities” list. This means those firms could be punished even more. Some of them sell drones and other tech used by Taiwan. China sees Taiwan as its own land, so they’re angry about these sales.
China punishes more US companies and farm exports
China’s government said the punished companies harmed their national safety. Now, these companies can’t start new business in China. They can’t import or export there anymore. But it’s not just tech firms feeling the heat. US farmers got hit too. China stopped buying sorghum from a big grain seller called C&D (USA) Inc. They also stopped accepting poultry and bonemeal from three other US companies. This is bad news for American farms. It means less money from overseas buyers.
China starts new checks on American medical products
China didn’t stop with farm goods. They also started a new check on US-made CT scan parts. These parts are used in hospitals and clinics. China wants to see if US companies are selling these items too cheaply. They’re worried that cheap imports hurt their own businesses. China Hits Back by saying they may do more checks on other goods too. If they find problems, they may ban more American products.
Stock markets drop in US, Japan, and Europe
The fight between the US and China hurt the stock market. On Friday, US stocks dropped hard. Experts said the trade war wiped out $2.4 trillion in US stock value. Big tech firms like Apple and Nvidia saw losses. These companies work a lot with China and Taiwan. Japan’s leader said the new tariffs caused a “national crisis.” Their banks took big losses. Their stock market had its worst week in years. In Europe, things were also bad. European shares fell hard and had their biggest weekly loss in three years.
US official says markets will calm down with time
Even with all this trouble, not everyone is worried. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said things will get better. He said the markets are not crashing. They are just adjusting to a new world trade setup. He believes the markets will calm down. He said the big changes take time to settle. Some agree, but many business owners and farmers are still very nervous.
