How US-China tariffs reached sky-high ranges in 3 months

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Talks deliberate this weekend between US and Chinese language officers in Switzerland are a end result of greater than three months of dizzying rounds of retaliatory tariffs between the 2 nations which have crippled one another’s exporters and dragged on their economies. Washington and Beijing are getting into talks with tariffs on one another’s items at an all-time excessive. US duties on Chinese language imports stand at 145%, whereas China’s retaliatory tariffs on US items have reached 125%. US President Donald Trump stated he believed the talks might convey tangible progress, and that he was open to reducing the tariffs considerably if Beijing made concessions. China, nonetheless, has reiterated requires Washington to cancel the tariffs forward of the talks.

Here’s a play-by-play of how US and Chinese language tariffs have reached such sky-high ranges for the reason that starting of Trump’s second time period in workplace:

Feb 1, 2025 – Trump indicators an govt order imposing 10% tariffs on China, in addition to 25% duties on Mexico and Canada. He later publicizes a 30-day reprieve on the Mexican and Canadian tariffs.

Feb 4 – The ten% tariffs on all Chinese language imports to the U.S. come into impact. China retaliates the identical day by asserting a flurry of countermeasures, together with duties on American coal, liquefied pure gasoline and agricultural equipment.

March 4 – Trump imposes extra 10% tariffs on all Chinese language items, bringing the whole stage of duties to twenty%. China responds with tariffs of as much as 15% on imports of key U.S. farm merchandise together with rooster, pork, soy and beef, and expanded controls on doing enterprise with key U.S. corporations. March 10- Chinese language tariffs and measures introduced on March 4 go into impact. April 2- On Trump’s so-called tariff “Liberation Day,” he publicizes extra 34% duties on all Chinese language imports, alongside tariffs on items from nations world wide. The sweeping tariffs are to return into impact April 9.

April 4 – China fights again by imposing 34% tariffs on all US items, efficient April 10, in addition to different retaliatory measures together with extra export controls on uncommon earth minerals.

China additionally suspends imports of sorghum, poultry and bonemeal from a number of US corporations, provides 27 companies to lists of corporations dealing with commerce restrictions, and begins an anti-monopoly probe into DuPont China Group, a subsidiary of the US firm DuPont.

April 7- Trump threatens China with extra 50% tariffs if it would not roll again its 34% reciprocal tariffs.

April 9 – Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs come into impact. The US raises tariffs on China even increased than beforehand introduced, to 104%.

Beijing retaliates with duties of 84% on US items, efficient April 10.

Trump additional raises tariffs on all Chinese language items to 145%, efficient instantly.

April 11 – China raises its tariffs on all U.S. items to 125%, efficient April 12. Beijing says it will not elevate the duties any additional.

Could 6 – The Trump administration publicizes that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Commerce Consultant Jamieson Greer will meet with their Chinese language counterparts in Geneva. China will probably be represented on the talks by Vice Premier He Lifeng.