China Responds to U.S. Tariff Hike
China has responded sharply to U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest tariff hike, calling the United States a “joke” and imposing retaliatory tariffs of its own, as European Union leaders prepare an unusual visit to Beijing amid growing global trade tensions.
Xi Criticizes Trade Isolation
China responded forcefully on Friday to a dramatic tariff increase by the United States, announcing a 125% tariff on American goods and calling the U.S. approach to trade “economic bullying,” the Times of India reports. The move came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump raised duties on Chinese imports to 145%, a decision that Beijing said violated international trade rules.
In a statement, China’s commerce ministry accused Washington of turning the tariff dispute into a “numbers game,” stating that such actions lacked economic rationale and only served to undermine U.S. credibility. “The successive imposition of excessively high tariffs on China by the U.S. has become nothing more than a numbers game,” a ministry spokesperson said. “It merely further exposes the U.S. practice of weaponizing tariffs… turning itself into a joke.”
Donald Trump’s Truth Social post on Friday.
The Times of India report explains that the new tariffs will take effect on Saturday, according to China’s State Council Tariff Commission. The Chinese government emphasized that the action was defensive in nature and framed it as a necessary response to what it called “completely unilateral” moves by the U.S.
On Truth Social, Trump proclaimed, “We are doing really well on our TARIFF POLICY. Very exciting for America, and the World!!! It is moving along quickly.” During the interval when he temporarily halted certain global tariffs, he added that China remained in the crosshairs “based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets.”
The Times of India further noted that President Xi Jinping also weighed in, saying China is not intimidated by external pressure. Speaking with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Xi declared, “There are no winners in a trade war, and going against the world will only lead to self-isolation.”
European Union Officials Reportedly Set to Visit Xi in July, Yuan Weakens
As the standoff escalates, Bloomberg and the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that top European Union officials are reportedly preparing a rare mid-year visit to Beijing for talks with Xi. Citing five unnamed sources, the SCMP disclosed that the visit could take place in late July, breaking with tradition that typically sees the Chinese delegation travel to Europe.
The move signals the EU’s interest in aligning more closely with China on trade, especially as it faces potential fallout from the U.S.’s aggressive tariff strategy. Xi has urged European partners to unite in resisting what he called “unilateral bullying.”
Meanwhile, China filed two complaints with the World Trade Organization (WTO) to challenge the legality of the U.S. tariffs, while Xi prepares for diplomatic visits to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia in a bid to strengthen regional alliances amid mounting tensions.
As of April 11, 2025, the Chinese yuan (CNY) has exhibited a modest recovery in its valuation against the U.S. dollar. Just two days prior, on Wednesday, April 9, the yuan slipped to depths not seen in over 17 years, settling at 7.3498 per dollar—its weakest close since Dec. 2007. In parallel, the DYX Dollar Index on Friday registered a three-year low against a composite of major fiat currencies, touching 99.314 in the early trading session.