US President Tries to Blacken China, Beijing Responds with a Fierce Retort
In what feels like a scene straight out of a 1980s action movie, the U.S. President has allegedly tried to blackmail Beijing by threatening a staggering 104% tariff hike on China.
Trump’s High‑Voltage Threat
- Donald Trump announced that, if China refuses to cut its 34% tariff spike, an additional 50% tax will be slapped on all imported goods, turning the total levy into a colossal 104%.
- “If China does not pull back that 34% increase by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025,” Trump rallied on Truth Social, “the United States will impose an extra 50% tariff effective April 9th and will end all talks that China wants.”
China’s Rebuttal: No Games, No Nonsense
China’s Commerce Ministry fired back with a fiery statement, calling the U.S. “unilateral bullying” and “groundless.” They declared their counter‑measures “legitimate” and stressed they are protecting “sovereignty, security and development interests.”
Official Statements
- “The US’s offer to hike tariffs is an error upon error, exposing the blackmailing nature of the US,” the ministry said. “China will never accept this. If the US sticks to its script, China will fight to the end.”
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting warned listeners on LBC Radio that the trade war will “catch up” with everyone’s pockets.
Expert Take: It’s More About Ego Than Economy
Senior economist Xu Tianchen from the Economist Intelligence Unit commented that the escalating tariffs are less about numbers and more about “a battle of wills and principles.” He added humorously: “Since China already faces a tariff rate of over 60%, whether it jumps by 50% or a whopping 500% doesn’t matter.”
In short, the headline dance between the U.S. and China is turning trade into a tug‑of‑war, and the stakes are higher than ever—so strap in, folks, because we’re in for a wild ride.
