Updated at 2:57 a.m.
China’s commerce ministry announced it will fight back against President Trump’s latest threat of steep tariffs on Chinese goods “at any cost.”
The White House revealed late Thursday that Trump asked his U.S. trade representative to evaluate the need for tariffs on an additional $100 billion of Chinese goods, after the U.S. recently said it would pursue tariffs on $50 billion worth of products from China.
“Rather than remedy its misconduct, China has chosen to harm our farmers and manufacturers,” Trump said in a statement.
“In light of China’s unfair retaliation, I have instructed the USTR to consider whether $100 billion of additional tariffs would be appropriate under section 301 and, if so, to identify the products upon which to impose such tariffs,” Trump added. “I have also instructed the Secretary of Agriculture, with the support of other members of my Cabinet, to use his broad authority to implement a plan to protect our farmers and agricultural interests.”
In response, China said it would “dedicate itself to the end and at any cost and will definitely fight back firmly” if the U.S. persists with the tariffs, according to the country’s commerce ministry. China is also expected to file a case against the U.S. in the World Trade Organization, just as the U.S. is preparing a WTO case against China.
Amid what is shaping up to be a trade war between the world’s two largest economies, China announced earlier this week it was prepared for a retaliatory 25 percent tariff on $50 billion worth of U.S. imports including soybeans, aircraft, beef, and cars, among other things.
