Trade War Escalates: U.S. to Impose 104% Tariffs on China

The United States will impose 104% tariffs on Chinese imports, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Levitt confirmed that the additional 104% tariffs on Chinese goods went into effect at noon Eastern Time, citing China’s failure to withdraw its retaliatory measures. The new tariffs will officially begin being collected on April 9.

“President Donald Trump spent the final hours before full implementation of the tariffs seeking negotiations with key U.S. allies, but hopes for a last-minute deal with China appeared out of reach,” Bloomberg reported.

On Monday, Trump threatened an additional 50% tariff on Chinese President Xi Jinping in response to China’s announcement of a 34% duty on U.S. imports. Trump described the move as a “reciprocal” measure, set to take effect at midnight Washington time.

Meanwhile, the White House announced that nearly 70 countries have already reached out to the U.S. government to begin negotiations on the tariffs announced last week by President Trump.

In a press briefing, the White House spokeswoman reiterated that Trump has no intention of delaying the tariffs and confirmed they will remain in effect as negotiations move forward.

Trump’s Ultimatum

“If China does not withdraw its 34% tariff hike—on top of its long-standing trade abuses—by tomorrow, April 8, 2025, the United States will impose an additional 50% tariff on China starting April 9. Furthermore, all talks with China regarding requested meetings will be terminated! Negotiations with other countries, which have also requested meetings, will begin immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump announced Monday on his social media platform, Truth Social.

Ignacio Teson

Economist and Financial Analyst

Ignacio Teson is an Economist and Financial Analyst. He has more than 7 years of experience in emerging markets. He worked as an analyst and market operator at brokerage firms in Argentina and Spain.