Customs explode: China's defense against the US trade war begins!

Customs explode: China's defense against the US trade war begins!

China - On April 9, 2025, China increased the tariffs to US products from 34 to 84 percent. This drastic measure comes into force on April 10 and is a direct reaction to the tariffs previously introduced by the USA, which amount to 104 percent on imports from China. This new customs increase follows a tense trade conflict that has been raging between the two nations since March 2018 when the first mutual punitive tariffs were introduced. According to Krone , the Chinese government at the same time signals willingness to discuss the existing trading problems.

In the context of these developments, a current white book emphasized that China will defend the rights and interests of his people. While the Chinese state apparatus makes that no trade war are striving for, the differences and tensions in the trade area are considered normal.

The trade war between the USA and China

The arguments between the USA and China began over five years ago when the United States tried to enforce some of its economic interests. A central goal of US trade policy was the modification of China's state capitalist economic and industrial policy as well as the reduction of the enormous trade deficit deficit, which was $ 375 billion in 2017. By the end of 2021, the tariffs overturned a total value of around $ 370 billion due to this policy.

In 2020, the “Phase One Trade Agreement” was signed in which China committed to buy additional US products worth $ 200 billion within two years. Among other things, increases in industrial goods, energy, agricultural products and services were planned. However, critics described the agreement as "managed trade", which could violate WTO principles. So far, there have been substantial conversations about a phase-twoal agreement.

economic effects

US trade policy not only strengthened international tensions, but also had negative effects on the US economy, especially in the processing of businesses. Even if the US agriculture should benefit from China's purchase obligations, it could not compensate for the decline in exports to China. The entire trade strategy of the United States contributed to a reduction in the proportion of US Chinese trade in overall trading, from 13.5 percent in 2017 to only 12.5 percent in 2020. This was seen by many as a sign of an ineffective trade strategy, since the originally aimed goals were not achieved.

The latest tariff changes could also bring third countries into a difficult situation because they only have limited opportunities to take on China's role in international trade. The trade considerations in the context of the conflict indicate that both China and the USA have to look for new ways to avoid an escalating situation, as this could significantly influence both their own economies and global markets. The dispute remains a central topic that continues to determine global economic relationships and ensures uncertainties.

Overall, it can be seen that the trade war between the USA and China is not only a bilateral problem, but also has far -reaching effects on the entire economy. The attempts to find solutions on a diplomatic level are essential to master the upcoming challenges together. For further details on the backgrounds and developments of the trade relationships between the two countries, the Wirtschaftsdienst