US-China Trade War Escalates: China Warns Against Trump’s Tariff Plans

(The Post News)- China has issued a stern warning to the Donald Trump administration, cautioning against the re-imposition of tariffs on Chinese goods starting in August. Beijing also threatened retaliation against any nations that align with the United States to exclude China from their supply chains.

In a commentary published Tuesday, July 8, by the official People’s Daily, China emphasized that “dialogue and cooperation are the only correct path” to resolving trade tensions. The commentary, attributed to “Zhong Sheng” , reiterated Beijing’s stance that Trump’s tariffs constitute “bullying” and stressed the importance of “firmly upholding principled positions” to safeguard legitimate rights and interests.

This warning comes as President Trump has begun notifying over a dozen countries about new tariff rates that will take effect on August 1. While some countries were granted an extension for negotiations, China, which faced tariffs exceeding 100% earlier this year, has until August 12 to reach an agreement or risk the reinstatement of even higher duties.

Previously, Beijing and Washington had reached a truce in June, which saw U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports set at 55% and Chinese tariffs on American imports at 10%. This agreement also eased restrictions on de minimis packages and lifted export controls on items like chip design software, ethane to China, and rare earth exports to the U.S. However, the current threats indicate a potential escalation in trade hostilities.

The Trump administration’s broader trade strategy seeks to address perceived non-reciprocal trade relationships and reduce the U.S. goods trade deficit. It has pushed for countries to lower their tariff rates and eliminate non-tariff barriers, with the underlying message that manufacturing products in the U.S. would exempt them from tariffs.

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Nomfundo Ngwenya

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