In a dramatic escalation of trade tensions, President Donald Trump has enforced an additional 50% tariff on Chinese goods, raising the total tariff to a staggering 104%. The move follows Trump's 24-hour ultimatum for Beijing to withdraw its retaliatory 34% tariff on U.S. products—an order that China openly defied.

The White House announced the tariff hike on Wednesday, declaring it a necessary response to China’s “unfair and abusive” trade practices. "China has robbed and ripped off the U.S. economy for far too long," Trump said, referencing Beijing’s historically higher tariffs on American goods.

Until last month, U.S. tariffs on China stood at 10%. That changed rapidly after Trump unveiled his "reciprocal tariff" policy—pledging to charge nations half of what they impose on the U.S. For China, that added 34%, pushing the total to 44%. Just last week, a "baseline" 10% tariff on all countries was introduced under a declared "national emergency" tied to trade deficits and security threats, bumping China’s total tariff load to 54%.

With today’s additional 50%, China now faces a punitive 104% levy—effectively doubling within a week. Despite the aggressive stance, Trump hinted at potential talks, posting on Truth Social, "China also wants to make a deal, badly, but they don't know how to get it started. We are waiting for their call."

China, however, remains defiant. In a scathing response, its commerce ministry labeled the U.S. move “blackmail,” warning that Beijing “will fight to the end” if pushed further.

The unprecedented tariff hike has shaken global markets, which saw their steepest drop since the COVID-19 crisis. With both economic giants refusing to back down, the world braces for the fallout of a full-scale trade war

In a dramatic escalation of trade tensions, President Donald Trump has enforced an additional 50% tariff on Chinese goods, raising the total tariff to a staggering 104%. The move follows Trump's 24-hour ultimatum for Beijing to withdraw its retaliatory 34% tariff on U.S. products—an order that China openly defied.

The White House announced the tariff hike on Wednesday, declaring it a necessary response to China’s “unfair and abusive” trade practices. "China has robbed and ripped off the U.S. economy for far too long," Trump said, referencing Beijing’s historically higher tariffs on American goods.

Until last month, U.S. tariffs on China stood at 10%. That changed rapidly after Trump unveiled his "reciprocal tariff" policy—pledging to charge nations half of what they impose on the U.S. For China, that added 34%, pushing the total to 44%. Just last week, a "baseline" 10% tariff on all countries was introduced under a declared "national emergency" tied to trade deficits and security threats, bumping China’s total tariff load to 54%.

With today’s additional 50%, China now faces a punitive 104% levy—effectively doubling within a week. Despite the aggressive stance, Trump hinted at potential talks, posting on Truth Social, "China also wants to make a deal, badly, but they don't know how to get it started. We are waiting for their call."

China, however, remains defiant. In a scathing response, its commerce ministry labeled the U.S. move “blackmail,” warning that Beijing “will fight to the end” if pushed further.

The unprecedented tariff hike has shaken global markets, which saw their steepest drop since the COVID-19 crisis. With both economic giants refusing to back down, the world braces for the fallout of a full-scale trade war