Beijing: China on Tuesday retaliated against US President Donald Trump’s imposition of a second round of 10 per cent tariffs on its export by slapping an additional 15 per cent tariff on American goods and initiated legal action against Washington at the WTO.
China stands ready to work with the US to address each other’s concerns through dialogue and consultation.
China will impose additional tariffs on some products imported from the United States, effective from March 10, the China’s Customs Tariff Commission said Tuesday.
An additional 15-per cent tariff will be imposed on imported chicken, wheat, corn and cotton originating from the US, it said in a statement.
Sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables and dairy products will be subject to an additional 10-per cent tariff.
Additionally, China decided on Tuesday to add 10 US firms to the country’s unreliable entity list and take corresponding measures against them. They include a number of companies linked to defence and security besides AI, aviation, IT and “dual-use” items that carry both civilian and military applications.
Also, China has initiated legal action against the US under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism regarding the latter’s latest tariff increase on Chinese products, the Ministry of Commerce said Tuesday.
China’s retaliatory actions followed after the US imposition of an additional 10-per cent tariff on products imported from China, effective from March 4.
The unilateral imposition of tariffs by the US undermines the multilateral trading system, increases the burden on American businesses and consumers, and erodes the foundation of China-US economic and trade cooperation, the commission said. Trump’s announcement of a second round of 10 per cent tariffs on Chinese exports to the US coincides with the opening of China’s annual Parliament session.