Trump imposes 100% tariffs on Chinese imports

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the imposition of a 100 percent tariff on all imports from China beginning November 1, 2025, in addition to the current 30 percent levies.

This brings the total rate to 130 percent.

President Donald Trump announced the decision on his Truth Social platform, where he also announced the implementation of export controls on all critical software manufactured in the United States to China, effective from the same date.

"Beginning November 1, 2025 (or sooner, depending on any further actions or changes taken by China), the United States of America will impose a 100 percent tariff on China, on top of any tariffs they are currently paying," the White House chief wrote.

Tensions have been escalating since October 8, when the U.S. Department of Commerce added 16 Chinese companies to its list of export-controlled entities, a move rejected by Beijing.

A statement from the Chinese Commerce Ministry described Washington's constant use of the concept of national security as " exaggerated," adding that it "has abused export control measures and arbitrarily exercised long-arm jurisdiction, imposing high-impact sanctions on multiple entities, including Chinese ones."

This measure "seriously undermines the legitimate rights and interests of businesses and disrupts the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains ," the text states.

Starting October 14, special port fees imposed by China on vessels owned and operated by U.S. companies, organizations, and individuals go into effect.

The Chinese Ministry of Transport said the initial rates will be 400 yuan (about $56.30) per net ton , with annual increases every April 17 for three years, reaching 1,120 yuan in 2028.

The measure also affects entities with direct or indirect U.S. ownership of 25 percent or more, as well as all U.S.-flagged or U.S.-built vessels. For vessels that call at multiple Chinese ports on a single voyage, the tariffs apply only at the first port, with a maximum of five voyages per year.

The ministry justified the action as "a justified measure to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese maritime companies ," in response to additional fees imposed by Washington on Chinese vessels following a Section 301 investigation.

"The US actions have seriously violated relevant international trade principles and the China-US maritime transport agreement, causing serious disruptions to maritime trade between the two countries," the ministry said, urging the US to correct its misconduct and cease its crackdown on the Chinese maritime industry.

Rare earths: what the United States needs and China has

The 100 percent tax demonstrates the Trump administration's dissatisfaction with Beijing's decision to protect its rare earth reserves, the largest in the world.

China's Ministry of Commerce has added 14 foreign organizations, mostly from the U.S. defense sector, to its untrustworthy entities list. These organizations include Dedrone by Axon , AeroVironment, BAE Systems, TechInsights , Elbit's U.S. subsidiary , DZYNE Technologies, Epirus, Exelis , and VSE Corporation , as well as the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada.

These entities face prohibitions on imports and exports linked to China, making new investments in the Asian giant, and maintaining transactions or cooperation with organizations in that country, especially in the transmission of data or the provision of sensitive information .

The ministry argued that the measure seeks to "safeguard China's sovereignty, security, and national development interests ," as the sanctioned firms "have maintained military technology cooperation with Taiwan, issued malicious statements about China, and helped foreign governments suppress Chinese companies."

"These actions have seriously damaged China's national sovereignty, security, and development interests ," the statement said. It emphasized that the list includes only a "very small number of foreign entities" that pose a risk to national security.

"Foreign companies that act with integrity and comply with the law have no cause for concern ," he added, reaffirming the commitment to a stable business environment for global investors.

On Thursday, October 9, Beijing required special approvals for overseas shipments of these items and permits for exports of mining, smelting, and recycling technologies, rejecting applications for military goods.

After calling China "very hostile," Trump suggested he would cancel his meeting with President Xi Jinping , scheduled as part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea in late October.

"I was supposed to meet President Xi in two weeks at APEC in South Korea, but now there seems to be no reason to do so," he said.

China, for its part, indicated that it will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the rights of its entities, in a scenario that could raise renewed concerns about the stability of the global economy.