China Strikes Back With Massive Tariff Increase Against Latest Trump Move on Chinese Imports

It didn't have to come to this. Then again, maybe it did.

Maybe the brewing trade war between the two largest economies in the world was not only inevitable; perhaps it was also necessary.

Maybe, just maybe, the tariff war tit-for-tat between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese dictator Xi Jinping, neither of whom appears even close to blinking, will become the catalyst that ultimately leads to reshuffling the cards of the world economy, in which the deck has been stacked against the United States for decades.

But for now, those "maybes" are just that.

After Trump's 104 percent tariff on Chinese imports took effect at midnight, China announced it would impose additional retaliatory tariffs of 50 percent on U.S. imports, beginning on Thursday — raising the Communist country's total tariff on American imports to 84 percent.

Earlier on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters:

Well, look, I just spoke to the president about this, and he believes that China wants to make a deal with the United States, he believes China has to make a deal with the United States. It was a mistake for China to retaliate... [a reference to China's first retaliatory increase to 34 percent]
When America is punched, he punches back harder.
That's why there will be 104 tariffs going into effect on China tonight at midnight.
But the president believes that XI and China want to make a deal...

If Xi does, in fact, want to make a deal, the dictator is far from making that deal on anything less than his terms.

The longer it takes for the U.S. and China to come together on a deal, the worse it's likely to get for both economies. Paramount to Beijing is China can't be seen by the world as kowtowing to the U.S. — or any other country. While that view might be irrational, it's also a reality.

Likewise, with Trump "all in" on his tariff policy, neither he nor the U.S. can be seen as blinking and caving in to Beijing's threats, putting both countries between a proverbial rock and hard place.

Chinese Trip All Over Themselves With Propaganda Video Attacking Americans on Tariffs

In response to China's latest gambit, the Trump administration took a hard stance on Wednesday morning, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent telling Fox Business:

I think it's unfortunate that the Chinese actually don't want to come and negotiate because they are the worst offenders in the international trading system... And I can tell you that this escalation is a loser for them.
They are the surplus country. Their exports to the U.S. are five times our exports to China. So, they can raise their tariff, but so what?

The "so-what" is yet to be seen.

One wonders if it's wise to apply logic and common sense to an aggressive enemy — yes, China is the paramount enemy of the U.S. — whose stated objective is world domination.

The wisdom — or lack thereof — is yet to be seen.

.@SecScottBessent: "I think it's unfortunate that the Chinese actually don't want to come and negotiate because they are the worst offenders in the international trading system... And I can tell you that this escalation is a loser for them." pic.twitter.com/dtk2w6TJES
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 9, 2025

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Wednesday:

We will not let anyone take away the Chinese people’s legitimate right to development. We will not tolerate any attempt to harm China’s sovereignty, security and development interests.

Lies? Of course. Propaganda — for both domestic and foreign purposes? Without a doubt.

But here's the thing: Like the Democrat Party, China doesn't care whether or not its adversaries believe its lies. It cares only about whether its subjects — in the Democrats' case, low-information rank-and-file Democrat voters — believe the lies and propaganda.

So, where is this whole thing headed?

As I wrote yesterday, the ultimate outcome is unknowable — despite prognostications to the contrary from social media keyboard jockeys on both sides of the issue.

Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.

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