Former US President Donald Trump has claimed that China is bearing the brunt of the ongoing tariff war triggered by his administration’s imposition of steep reciprocal duties on several nations, including Beijing. In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump asserted that the United States had been treated “unsustainably badly” by China and other countries, but those days were over.
“China has been hit much harder than the USA, not even close. They, and many other nations, have treated us unsustainably badly. We have been the dumb and helpless ‘whipping post’ but not any longer,” Trump stated.
He further claimed that his administration was working to revive domestic manufacturing and economic growth through aggressive trade policies. “We are bringing back jobs and businesses like never before. Already, more than FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS OF INVESTMENT, and rising fast! THIS IS AN ECONOMIC REVOLUTION, AND WE WILL WIN. HANG TOUGH, it won’t be easy, but the end result will be historic. We will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” he wrote.
These remarks came shortly after China announced fresh tariffs in retaliation. Beijing’s finance ministry declared, “For all imported goods originating from the US, an additional tariff of 34 percent on top of the current applicable tariff rate will be imposed,” starting 10 April.
China’s foreign ministry also condemned the US move and reiterated its determination to protect national interests. “The US should stop using tariffs as a weapon to suppress China’s economy and trade, and stop undermining the legitimate development rights of the Chinese people,” the ministry said. It added that China would continue taking “resolute measures” to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and development interests.
Trump Tariffs Raise Economic Concerns
According to a report from the Associated Press (AP), Trump’s decision on Wednesday to expand tariffs on imports from nearly all of the United States’ trading partners is a bold move reflective of his long-standing scepticism of free trade. This marks a departure from his first term, when aides often tempered his protectionist impulses.
However, early reactions to the sweeping tariffs have raised concerns. Financial markets recorded their worst week since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunging 1,600 points on Thursday and another 2,200 points on Friday. Economists warned the import duties could fuel inflation and potentially tip the US into recession, AP reported.
Despite this, Trump appeared undeterred. He maintained that the tariffs would spark a resurgence in US manufacturing and help finance an extension of his 2017 tax cuts. “Things were going very well,” he insisted, even as markets tumbled, spending Friday at a golf course.
The broader political implications are also becoming evident. The AP reported that Trump doubled down on his economic agenda barely a day after his party suffered losses in Wisconsin and underperformed in Florida. Democratic activists, buoyed by what they see as an overreach, planned large-scale demonstrations across the country. “The winds are changing,” said Rahna Epting, executive director of MoveOn, one of the groups organising the protests.
Trump’s fresh tariff escalation has already drawn sharp responses from trade partners, with China retaliating and European allies signalling resistance, setting the stage for further global economic turbulence.
