China Vows Countermeasures After U.S. Imposes New Tariffs

China has voiced strong opposition to the latest tariffs imposed by the United States. The Chinese Commerce Ministry stated on Thursday that it will take countermeasures to protect its interests after President Trump declared sweeping levies on U.S. trading partners worldwide. Trump's recent announcement includes a 34% tariff on Chinese goods, adding to the existing 20% imposed earlier this year. This brings the total new levies to 54%. The new measures also involve a 10% baseline tariff on almost all goods shipped to the U.S. from Saturday, with higher "reciprocal tariffs" effective from April 9. The average U.S. tariff on Chinese goods is expected to reach 76%. Furthermore, Trump signed an executive order closing the "de minimis" trade loophole, which allowed low-value packages from China and Hong Kong to enter the U.S. duty-free.