Just like a pushy “playground bully” Donald Trump is overplaying his hand by slapping China with stinging tariffs, according to one expert. On so-called Liberation Day, the People’s Republic of China bore the brunt of the US President’s vicious trade war after he imposed a crippling 34 per cent tariff on top of the universal 10 per cent issued to all countries.
Throwing his weight around, Trump has even threatened to increase those rates to 50 per cent after Beijing issued its own retaliatory tariff of 34 per cent. The US President, who shows no signs of backing down, took to Truth Social to give China a 24-hour ultimatum to reverse their decision or face the higher rate.
“Yesterday, China issued Retaliatory Tariffs of 34 per cent, on top of their already record setting tariffs, non-monetary tariffs, illegal subsidization of companies, and massive long term currency manipulation, despite my warning that any country that retaliates against the U.S. by issuing additional tariffs, above and beyond their already existing long term tariff abuse of our nation, will be immediately met with new and substantially higher tariffs, over and above those initially set,” he said.
“Therefore, if China does not withdraw its 34 per cent increase above their already long term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose additional tariffs on China of 50 per cent, effective April 9th,” he continued. “Additionally, all talks with China concerning their requested meetings with us will be terminated. Negotiations with other countries, which have also requested meetings, will begin taking place immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
His response shows that Trump is nothing more than a “playground bully” who is “suddenly shocked when someone stands up and challenges him”, according to Dr Andrew Wroe, Senior Lecturer in American Politics at the University of Kent. And in China, he’s found a formidable opponent. In 2024, Beijing shattered its year-on-year increases after its exports for reached 43.85trillion yuan (around $6.1trillion), establishing itself as the leading trading nation in goods. Its main trading partners last year were the US, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.
“While most other countries, and aggregations of countries like the EU, have so far sought to appease the bully, China is able to match the US as an economic powerhouse”, the Dr Wroe explained.
“Trump may have overplayed his hand. China will not want to back down after announcing its own 34 per cent tariffs on the US. It will probably respond to further Trump tariffs on its US exports with yet further tariffs on US imports into its economy—possibly carefully targeted on politically sensitive US exports to maximise the pain on Trump’s core consistencies.”
Trump seems to think the US is the only avenue the world’s markets are seeking to trade with, but China will simply turn to alternatives for its goods, including the UK, Dr Wroe said. This could go either way for the UK, with the potential for prices and inflation to be pushed down with the increase in trade with Beijing. However, it could also “undercut domestic producers, threatening jobs and growth in the UK”.
“On top of this, a global trade war, even one the UK is trying to swerve, will have serious negative consequences for us. It’s hard to see any silver lining on the brewing storm clouds”, Dr Wroe said.
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