US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States will move forward with a sweeping 155 percent tariff on Chinese imports, set to take effect November 1, despite expressing an eagerness to preserve positive relations with Beijing.
During an interaction with news agency ANI, Trump highlighted Washington’s resolve to confront what Trump described as years of one-sided trade practices with China. When asked about imposing tariffs on China, which is now Russia’s leading oil buyer, the US President explained, “Right now, as of November 1st, China will have about 155 percent tariffs put on it. I don’t think it’s sustainable for them.”
‘China Has Been Rough To US’
Trump asserted his preference would be to foster mutual goodwill, but pointed to what he called an unfair economic history between the two countries. “I want to be nice to China. But China has been very rough with us over the years because we had presidents that weren’t smart from a business standpoint… They allowed China and every other country to take advantage of us.”
He further outlined how his administration has used tariffs as an effective leverage point in trade negotiations, not only with China but with major partners like the European Union, Japan, and South Korea. He framed tariffs as a matter of “national security,” adding, “We’re getting hundreds of billions, even trillions, of dollars paid into the United States… We’ll start paying off debt.” According to Trump, previous deals built on tariffs helped reshape US economic relationships globally.
This aggressive tariff stance comes as part of what is described as Trump’s “secondary tariff” approach, targeting nations perceived to be supporting Russia’s war efforts through energy trade.
While India previously faced a 50 percent tariff for importing Russian oil, the latest measures signal a broad escalation towards China, now the foremost importer of Russian crude oil.
When Trump Imposed 100% Tariffs On China
Reinforcing his position, Trump had earlier unveiled an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese goods via Truth Social, effective the same day as the existing tariffs. The announcement followed what he characterized as “an extraordinarily aggressive position on trade” by China, referencing a “hostile letter” sent globally.
He revealed the United States would also institute export controls on all critical software from November 1, as part of an expanded effort to safeguard American interests.
According to Trump, China has promised to impose broad export controls on nearly all products, affecting every nation, which he called “absolutely unheard of in International Trade” and described as “a moral disgrace.”
This latest escalation signals a dramatic turn in the global trade landscape, with ripple effects expected across markets and international relations.