Beijing announced on Tuesday that it has complained with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against the United States over President Donald Trump’s recent tariff increases on Chinese goods. The complaint follows a move by Trump to raise existing 10 percent tariffs on Chinese imports to 20 percent.
China’s commerce ministry expressed strong dissatisfaction with the decision, stating that the US’s unilateral tax measures violate WTO rules and undermine the economic and trade cooperation between the two nations. Beijing also indicated its firm opposition to the tariffs, which it claims disrupt the international economic order.
In retaliation, China has imposed additional tariffs on various US agricultural products, including chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton. These new 15 percent duties are set to take effect next week.
A WTO official confirmed that China’s complaint has been officially received.
Trump’s rationale for imposing the tariffs centers around China’s insufficient action to curb the trafficking of fentanyl and other opioids into the US, which contribute to thousands of American deaths each year. Analysts suggest that addressing the drug flow is only one aspect of Trump’s broader strategy, with trade imbalances being another key concern.
In response, China’s National Narcotics Control Commission highlighted its efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking, reporting no new cases of smuggling since full control measures were enacted.
China also remains a vital market for US energy exports, with imports of oil, coal, and LNG from the US exceeding $7 billion last year. Beijing previously raised a similar dispute in February, condemning the tariffs as “malicious.”
Trump has frequently used tariffs as a foreign policy tool, including levies imposed on Mexico and Canada to address migration and drug issues.
