International-News

Trump imposes 104% tariffs against China: ‘Will be polite if Beijing wants to negotiate’

Tariff hike triggered from tomorrow. White House spokeswoman confirms: ‘Beijing refused dialogue, now tailor-made measures for countries willing to negotiate’

As of tomorrow, the United States will apply a massive 104% tariff on goods from China, after Beijing’s failure to withdraw trade countermeasures it had wanted in response to the tariffs announced by President Donald Trump. The confirmation came from White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt during a press briefing.

‘The president is convinced that China must sit down at the table for a new trade deal and considers it a strategic mistake to take retaliatory measures,’ Leavitt said. Trump, he added, “will be incredibly gracious if China demonstrates a willingness to negotiate”.

Beijing’s response
Chinese Premier Li Qiang made it known that China has the necessary tools to deal with economic turmoil. During a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, he reiterated that “China’s macroeconomic policies take global uncertainties into account” and that the country “is perfectly capable of hedging against negative external effects”.

Tailor-made agreements for those who want to deal
Meanwhile, President Trump has instructed his trade team to negotiate tailor-made agreements with countries that express interest, following the announcement on the tariff increase. ‘There are 70 countries that have already contacted us to engage in dialogue,’ the spokeswoman reported. “Tariffs are a tax increase for foreign countries and a cut for Americans. Our goal is to correct the trade deficit and provide direct benefits to US workers.”

The Israeli model
During the conference, Leavitt cited as a virtuous example Israel, whose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on a visit to Washington, promised the immediate elimination of the trade deficit with the US and customs barriers. ‘A proactive approach that should set the standard,’ stressed the White House spokeswoman.

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