
Minutes after the tariffs on Chinese goods went into effect, Beijing responded with a similar step, imposing tariffs on imports from the United States. He suspended at the last minute the imposition of tariffs on neighboring Canada and Mexico, which agreed to measures designed to strengthen border protection.
China imposed tariffs on imports of goods from the United States on Tuesday night in response to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump when he renewed the trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
Imposing the tariffs is Trump’s way of punishing China, which he believes does not prevent drugs from entering the United States, especially fentanyl.
Trump’s tariffs — 10 percent on all goods coming from China to the U.S. — went into effect tonight. Minutes later, China’s Ministry of Economy announced that it was imposing tariffs of 15% on imports of coal and liquefied natural gas and 10% on imports of crude oil, agricultural equipment and certain vehicles.
The imposition of tariffs on imports from the United States will take effect on February 10. In addition, China announced restrictions on the export of five metals used in the defense industry, the energy industry, and other industries. According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, the restrictions are intended to “safeguard the interests of national security.”
China also announced tonight that it was opening an investigation against Google – on suspicion of violating the American company’s antitrust laws. It also placed PVH, the holding company of a series of brands (headed by Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger) and the biotechnology company Illumina as “untrustworthy entities” for “violating the prevailing trading principles in the market.”
Trump: “Stop sending fentanyl.”
China: “Drugs are a problem of the United States”

Yesterday, Trump said he hoped “China will stop sending us fentanyl, but if it doesn’t, the tariffs are going to be significantly higher.” China has said fentanyl is a “U.S. problem.”
Tonight, Beijing announced that it was responding to a “unilateral increase in tariffs” by Washington. She said Trump’s tariffs were “a blatant violation of the rules of the World Trade Organization, do nothing to solve U.S. problems, and disrupt China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation.”
Trump announced over the weekend that he was imposing high tariffs — of 25 percent — on imports of goods from Mexico and Canada. He demanded that they prevent illegal immigrants from entering the United States, and the White House accused them, like China, of being responsible for the “flood of toxic drugs.”
Yesterday, at the last minute, Trump agreed to freeze the implementation of the decision for 30 days. The freeze came after the leaders of Canada and Mexico, Justin Trudeau and Claudia Sheinbaum, agreed to take a series of measures designed to strengthen border protections and combat drug smuggling.
On Tuesday, Trump referred to the imposition of the tariffs, saying that China, Mexico and Canada have been committing “theft” for years, allowing criminals and toxic drugs to “enter the United States freely.” He stressed that “those days are over.” Regarding the consequences of the trade war, Trump said: “Will it hurt? Maybe, or maybe not. Everything will be worth the price.”