China Threatens Retaliation After Trump Imposes 100% Tariffs on Imports

Beijing unleashed a sharp rebuke against Washington on October 12, 2025, accusing the United States of blatant double standards just hours after President Donald Trump slapped an additional 100% tariff on all Chinese imports, set to kick in on November 1. The escalating salvo—pushing total duties to a crippling 130% on top of the existing 30%—stems from Trump's fury over China's "extraordinarily aggressive" curbs on rare-earth and critical mineral exports, vital for U.S. defense, tech, and green energy sectors. In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump also unveiled export controls on "any and all critical software" and dangled the threat of scrapping a late-October summit with President Xi Jinping in South Korea, though he later hedged, saying "we'll see what happens."

China's Ministry of Commerce fired back in a blistering statement, labeling Trump's moves as economic bullying that "severely harms China's interests and undermines trade talks." An unnamed official highlighted U.S. hypocrisy, pointing to America's own history of weaponizing export controls and national security pretexts against Beijing. "Threatening high tariffs at every turn is not the right approach to engaging with China," the ministry urged, calling for swift corrections and a return to negotiations.

Beijing defended its mineral restrictions as "legitimate and defensive," insisting they're no outright ban—applications compliant with new rules will be greenlit—and were communicated via bilateral channels. Yet, it vowed "corresponding measures" if the U.S. persists, including fresh port fees on American shipments and an antitrust probe into Qualcomm.

This flare-up shatters a fragile May truce that had dialed back triple-digit tariffs, amid fragile hopes for a Trump-Xi breakthrough at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Markets reeled on Friday, with the S&P 500 plunging 2.7%—its worst drop since April—as investors braced for inflation spikes and supply chain chaos. Analysts warn the standoff could derail global tech production, exacerbate U.S. job market woes, and solidify China's pivot to alternative suppliers.

Also Read: US Lawmakers Urge Military Talks During Rare Beijing Visit

Compounding the trans-Pacific storm, China accused the U.S. of Cold War-style meddling in Latin America after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent boasted that Argentina is "committed to getting China out." Bessent's comments followed a $20 billion U.S. financial lifeline to Buenos Aires, timed ahead of President Javier Milei's Trump meeting. Beijing, Argentina's top creditor with an $18 billion swap line and backing for a Patagonia space launch station, slammed the ploy as interventionist tactics to curb its regional sway.

As U.S.-China rivalry spills into the Western Hemisphere, experts fear Latin America's commodity giants like Brazil and Argentina could become unwilling pawns in the broader geopolitical chess game. With deadlines looming, the world watches if diplomacy can douse the flames—or if a full-blown trade inferno awaits.

Also Read: President Lai Announces “T-Dome” Shield to Strengthen Taiwan’s Defenses