In a bold move that has reignited trade tensions, former US President Donald Trump has imposed sweeping tariffs of up to 245 per cent on a wide range of Chinese imports. With the initial 25 per cent remaining in place, the total tariff to be paid by the aluminium and steel exporters from China shoots up to 270 per cent. This sharp escalation is nothing but a further intensification of the US-China trade war and is already sending ripples through global markets, manufacturing, and supply chains, with implications that extend well beyond the Pacific.
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The decision, formalised through a White House fact sheet, targets critical Chinese exports, including those linked to high-tech industries. Among the materials affected are gallium, germanium, and antimony, which are metals essential to sectors such as defence, semiconductors, electric vehicles, and aerospace. These materials are often described as ‘strategic’ due to their indispensable role in advanced technologies and the fact that China is a dominant global supplier.
“The individualised higher tariffs are currently paused amid these discussions, except for China, which retaliated. China now faces up to a 245 per cent tariff on imports to the United States as a result of its retaliatory actions,” the White House said in its statement.
Here’s the backstory
Trump’s tariffs are a direct response to China’s tightening of its own export controls. Over the past year, Beijing has implemented restrictions on the export of critical materials, citing national security concerns. However, Washington sees these actions as economic coercion and part of a broader strategy to undercut US competitiveness in advanced manufacturing.
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