On February 1, 2025, the US government imposed a 10% tariff on all Chinese exports, citing fentanyl-related concerns. The new tariffs will take effect on February 4, escalating trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.
In response, China's State Council announced retaliatory tariffs of 10% to 15% on US imports, targeting key sectors such as natural gas, crude oil, and automobiles.
China condemned the US tariffs as a violation of World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, arguing that the move disrupts normal trade relations while failing to address America's domestic issues.
China's countermeasures: tariff increases and regulatory actions
According to The Paper, China's State Council has approved additional tariffs on US imports under its Customs Law, Tariff Law, and Foreign Trade Law. The new duties, effective February 10, 2025, include:
1. 15% tariffs on coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
2. 10% tariffs on crude oil, agricultural machinery, large-engine vehicles, and pickup trucks.
3. Additional tariffs on US goods listed in the tables below, with no exemptions under current bonded and duty-free policies.
Beijing urged Washington to address its fentanyl crisis responsibly and pursue trade discussions based on mutual respect, warning that escalation could threaten broader US-China economic stability.
Beyond the new tariffs, China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has launched an antitrust investigation into Google, citing alleged violations of China's Anti-Monopoly Law.
Overview: goods subject to additional tariffs
List of goods subject to 15% tariff increase (US$m)
No. | Commodity code | Commodity | 2023 | 2024 |
1 | 27011100 | Anthracite, not agglomerated | 0 | 0 |
2 | 27011210 | Bituminous coking coal, not agglomerated | 1,404 | 1,844 |
3 | 27011290 | Other bituminous coal, not agglomerated | 0 | 32 |
4 | 27011900 | Other coal, not agglomerated, nes | 86 | 107 |
5 | 27012000 | Coal bricks, coal balls, and similar solid fuels made from coal | n/a | n/a |
6 | 27021000 | Lignite, not agglomerated | - | 0 |
7 | 27022000 | Shaped lignite | n/a | n/a |
8 | 27111100 | Natural gas, liquefied | 2,092 | 2,415 |
Source: GACC and the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council, compiled by DIGITIMES, February 2025
List of goods subject to 10% tariff increase (US$m)
No. | Commodity code | Commodity | 2023 | 2024 |
1 | 27090000 | Petroleum oils&oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude | 9,104 | 6,019 |
2 | 84193310 | Lyophilization apparatus, freeze-drying units, and spray dryers for agricultural products | 0 | 0 |
3 | 84193400 | Dryers for agricultural products | 1 | 0 |
4 | 84244100 | Agricultural or horticultural sprayers, portable | 0 | - |
5 | 84244900 | Other agricultural or horticultural sprayers | 6 | 14 |
6 | 84248200 | Other agricultural or horticultural sprayers and spreaders | 0 | 0 |
7 | 84321000 | Plows | - | 0 |
8 | 84322100 | Disc harrows | - | 0 |
9 | 84322900 | Other harrows, soil loosening, and tillage machinery | 0 | 1 |
10 | 84323111 | No-till seeder for grain sowing | n/a | n/a |
11 | 84323119 | Other no-till direct seeders | 0 | 0 |
12 | 84323121 | No-till potato planters | n/a | n/a |
13 | 84323129 | Other no-till direct planters | - | 0 |
14 | 84323131 | No-till rice transplanters | n/a | n/a |
15 | 84323139 | Other no-till direct transplanters | n/a | n/a |
16 | 84323911 | Other grain seeders | - | 0 |
17 | 84323919 | Other seeders | 0 | 0 |
18 | 84323921 | Potato planters | n/a | n/a |
19 | 84323929 | Other planters | n/a | n/a |
20 | 84323931 | Other rice transplanters | - | 0 |
21 | 84323939 | Other transplanters | n/a | n/a |
22 | 84324100 | Manure spreaders | 0 | - |
23 | 84324200 | Fertilizer spreaders | 0 | 0 |
24 | 84328010 | Lawn and sports field rollers | 0 | - |
25 | 84328090 | Other land preparation or cultivation machinery not listed | 0 | 1 |
26 | 84331100 | Walk-behind rotary tillers | 4 | 2 |
27 | 84331900 | Other lawn, park, and similar mowers | 2 | 2 |
28 | 84332000 | Mowers for hay etc incl cutter bars for tractor mounting | 9 | 8 |
29 | 84333000 | Hay tedders & rakes & other haymaking machinery | 2 | 0 |
30 | 84334000 | Forage balers | 43 | 3 |
31 | 84335100 | Combine harvester-threshers | 58 | 22 |
32 | 84335200 | Other threshers | 0 | 0 |
33 | 84335300 | Root or tuber harvesters | 1 | 3 |
34 | 84335910 | Sugarcane harvesters | 0 | - |
35 | 84335990 | Other harvesters | 8 | 4 |
36 | 84336010 | Egg cleaning, sorting, and grading machines | 1 | 0 |
37 | 84336090 | Cleaning, sorting, and grading machines for fruits or other agricultural products | 8 | 3 |
38 | 84341000 | Milking machines | 0 | 0 |
39 | 84361000 | Animal feed preparation machines | 0 | 0 |
40 | 84362100 | Poultry egg incubators and brooders | 0 | 0 |
41 | 84362900 | Other poultry-rearing equipment | 4 | 0 |
42 | 84368000 | Other agricultural, forestry, and horticultural machines | 5 | 3 |
43 | 84371010 | Optical color sorting machines for grain (color sorters) | - | 1 |
44 | 84371090 | Other cleaning, sorting, or grading machines for agricultural products | 1 | 2 |
45 | 84378000 | Grain milling industry machinery | 0 | 0 |
46 | 84386000 | Fruit, nut, or vegetable processing machines | 3 | 5 |
47 | 84792000 | Machines for extracting or processing animal fats, fixed vegetable oils, or microbial oils | 0 | - |
48 | 87011000 | Single-axle tractors | n/a | n/a |
49 | 87013000 | Track-laying tractors | - | 2 |
50 | 87019110 | Tractors with power ≤ 18 kW | n/a | n/a |
51 | 87019210 | Tractors with power > 18 kW and ≤ 37 kW | - | 0 |
52 | 87019310 | Tractors with power > 37 kW and ≤ 75 kW | n/a | n/a |
53 | 87019410 | Tractors with power > 75 kW and ≤ 130 kW | n/a | n/a |
54 | 87019510 | Tractors with power > 130 kW | 31 | 65 |
55 | 87032361 | Passenger cars with internal combustion engines, 2.5L < displacement ≤ 3L | 0 | 0 |
56 | 87032362 | Off-road vehicles with internal combustion engines, 2.5L < displacement ≤ 3L | 3,317 | 2,751 |
57 | 87032363 | Small buses with internal combustion engines, 2.5L < displacement ≤ 3L | 58 | 111 |
58 | 87032369 | Other vehicles with internal combustion engines, 2.5L < displacement ≤ 3L | n/a | n/a |
59 | 87032411 | Passenger cars with internal combustion engines, 3L < displacement ≤ 4L | 0 | 1 |
60 | 87032412 | Off-road vehicles with Internal combustion engines, 3L < displacement ≤ 4L | 139 | 151 |
61 | 87032413 | Small buses with internal combustion engines, 3L < displacement ≤ 4L | 9 | 5 |
62 | 87032419 | Other Vehicles with internal combustion engines, 3L < displacement ≤ 4L | n/a | n/a |
63 | 87032421 | Passenger cars with internal combustion engines, displacement > 4L | 3 | 10 |
64 | 87032422 | Off-road vehicles with internal combustion engines, displacement > 4L | 24 | 16 |
65 | 87032423 | Small buses with internal combustion engines, displacement > 4L | 43 | 48 |
66 | 87032429 | Other vehicles with internal combustion engines, displacement > 4L | n/a | n/a |
67 | 87042100 | Diesel trucks, vehicle weight ≤ 5 tons | 1 | - |
68 | 87043100 | Gasoline trucks, vehicle weight ≤ 5 tons | 574 | 190 |
69 | 87044100 | Diesel hybrid trucks, vehicle weight ≤ 5 tons | n/a | n/a |
70 | 87045100 | Internal combustion hybrid trucks, vehicle weight ≤ 5 tons | 18 | 9 |
71 | 87046000 | Pure electric trucks | 1 | 2 |
72 | 87162000 | Agricultural self-loading or semi-trailers | - | 0 |
Source: GACC and the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council, compiled by DIGITIMES, February 2025