Bangkok, 5 April

China has announced sweeping retaliatory measures, including a 34% tariff on all US imports, set to begin next week. This sharp move mirrors President Trump's recent tariff hike on Chinese goods and signals Beijing’s most aggressive response yet in the escalating trade war.

Beyond tariffs, China’s strike list is broad — export controls on rare earths like samarium and gadolinium, suspension of US poultry, sorghum, and bonemeal imports, and a fresh WTO complaint accusing the US of violating global trade norms.

Beijing also placed 27 more US companies under trade restrictions, launched an anti-monopoly probe into DuPont China, and extended its unreliable entity list to include drone makers Skydio and BRINC Drones. Defense tech firms and logistics players weren’t spared either.

Trump, reacting on Truth Social, wrote, ‘CHINA PLAYED IT WRONG, THEY PANICKED.’ However, he left the door open for talks on TikTok, offering a 75-day extension on its divestment deadline.

Experts say this latest round marks a clear escalation. ‘If China’s previous responses were scalpels, this time it drew a sword,’ noted Craig Singleton of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. With no planned talks between Xi and Trump, diplomatic space appears to be shrinking.

While trade tensions rose, both nations managed a rare show of dialogue — military officials met in Shanghai to discuss maritime safety, marking the first such meeting since Trump’s return to office.

Still, both sides continue some dialogue. US and Chinese military officials met this week in Shanghai to discuss maritime safety, the first such meeting since Trump’s return to office.

As the standoff deepens, markets tumble and pressure mounts. This clash isn’t just about tariffs anymore — it’s about tech, trade, and who calls the shots in the global economy.