Retaliation arrives: China announces 34 percent additional customs duty on all American imports

Following US President Donald Trump's announcement on April 2 of plans to impose comprehensive new import duties on all goods entering the US, China has retaliated. The Chinese government announced that it will impose a 34 percent additional customs duty on all American imports starting April 10.

According to the official Xinhua News Agency, Beijing will impose a 34 percent customs duty on all imports from the US starting April 10. Chinese officials also announced that they would launch an investigation into medical CT X-ray tubes imported from the US and India, and would halt imports of poultry products from two American companies. 

The latest US duties affect Chinese imports that are already facing high customs duties, including 20 percent general duties applied this year and punitive duties remaining from Trump's first term and the subsequent Joe Biden administration.

Tensions between Washington and Beijing have further escalated since Trump returned to the White House in January. This is especially notable given that the US President has not yet held a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, despite more than two months having passed since he took office. 

The two countries are also at a stalemate over the alleged role China plays in the flow of fentanyl to America, which Trump cited as the justification for his previous two rounds of customs duties.