Listeners, today’s China Tariff News and Tracker hits with urgent updates on the US-China trade battle as it intensifies under President Trump.

Major headlines: The US has dramatically escalated tariffs on Chinese goods this year, with President Trump implementing levy hikes as part of his national security initiatives. Back in February, Trump issued Executive Order 14195 declaring a national emergency over synthetic opioids allegedly trafficked from China. Using these powers, he increased tariffs on Chinese imports from an initial 10%, then 20% by March, in his bid to pressure Beijing to act on fentanyl. China responded with tariffs of 15% on coal and liquefied natural gas, and 10% on US oil and agricultural machines. They expanded retaliatory barriers to exports of rare metals, controlled soybean licenses, and suspended US lumber imports.

By April, Trump announced a sweeping "reciprocal tariff" of 34% on Chinese imports, meant to counterbalance what he called unfair barriers. In retaliation, China matched with a 34% tariff on American products and suspended TikTok negotiations. Both sides raised the stakes: Trump lifted tariffs again by 50% in early April, raising cumulative tariffs on Chinese goods to 104%. China responded with an equal measure, pushing their baseline tariffs to 84%. The US then raised the rate to 145%, and China countered with a 125% tariff. China’s Ministry of Finance declared further US increases “will no longer make economic sense and will become a joke in the history of world economy.” Analysts argue this is one of the worst escalations yet, severely impacting diplomatic hopes.

On the policy front, the Trump administration is now exploring a radical new approach: tying tariffs for imported electronics directly to the chip content inside those goods. Multiple sources, as reported by Reuters and the Wall Street Journal, say the Commerce Department is considering a 25% chip-content tariff on foreign devices. This plan, if enacted, would require companies to match their US chip production to the number of chips imported, or face tariffs up to 100%. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described reliance on Taiwan for advanced chips as “the single greatest point of failure for the world economy.” The intent is to force a shift in chipmaking to the US and allies, but industry insiders warn that such tracking and compliance could prove almost impossible to administer.

Listeners should note the heavy impact these tariffs have already had on everyday prices and global supply chains. According to Asia Financial, the expanded tariffs on semiconductors, trucks, and pharmaceuticals are triggering inflationary pressures and broader trade unrest. The US is also probing imports of pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, raising fresh uncertainty for American companies reliant on global supply chains.

China, for its part, has spent 2025 reducing its holdings of US Treasury bonds, increased non-tariff barriers, and strengthened regional alliances with South Korea and Japan. The trilateral meetings in March were aimed at insulating their economies from US tariff policy.

For ongoing tariff tracking, listeners need to watch developments on chip tariffs, reciprocal measures, and upcoming executive orders—President Trump continues to threaten new investigations targeting Chinese automotive and tech sectors via Section 301 probes.

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