BEIJING: Beijing’s tariffs on certain US agricultural goods in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s latest hike on Chinese imports came into force Monday, as trade tensions mount between the world’s two leading economies.
Since retaking office in January, Trump has unleashed a barrage of tariffs on major US trading partners, including China, Canada and Mexico, citing their failure to stop illegal immigration and flows of deadly fentanyl.
After imposing a blanket 10 percent tariff on all Chinese goods in early February, Trump hiked the rate to 20 percent last week.
Beijing reacted quickly, its finance ministry accusing Washington of “undermining” the multilateral trading system and announcing fresh measures of its own. Those tariffs come into effect Monday and see levies of 10 and 15 percent imposed on several US farm products. Chicken, wheat, corn and cotton from the United States will now be subject to the higher charge.
Soybeans, sorghum, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruit, vegetables and dairy will face the slightly lower rate.
The tariffs will not apply to goods that left before March 10, however, as long as they arrive in China by April 12. Analysts say Beijing’s retaliatory tariffs are designed to hurt Trump’s voter base while remaining restrained enough to allow room to hash out a trade deal.
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