China Hits Back: Tariffs on U.S. Goods and a Probe into Google Signal Escalating Trade Tensions

Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive in Vietnam on Monday, April 14, 2025, for a two-day state visit that is expected to yield around 40 new cooperation agreements between ministries, agencies, and localities.
Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Brazil in November. Image: Mateus Bonomi / AGIF / AGIF via AFP.

China has unveiled a fresh wave of retaliatory measures against the United States on Tuesday, setting the stage for renewed trade tensions. Yet, analysts suggest that Beijing’s “restrained” approach could indicate a willingness to negotiate rather than escalate into a full-blown trade war.

China announced tariffs of 10 to 15 percent on selected U.S. imports, effective February 10. The move comes in response to Washington’s new 10 percent tariffs on Chinese goods, which the U.S. justified by citing fentanyl-related concerns.

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by Edwin Shri Bimo

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