US President Donald Trump recently announced a comprehensive 100% tariff on Chinese goods, effective November 1, 2025. This tariff will be imposed in addition to existing tariffs, alongside new export controls on any critical software. The announcement follows China’s restrictions on rare earth exports, requiring special approvals for foreign companies dealing with these materials.

Trump described China’s position as aggressive and hostile in international trade, and indicated that these measures were long overdue due to China’s negotiations.

“China has taken an extraordinarily aggressive position on trade in sending an extremely hostile letter to the world,” Trump stated on his platform Truth Social.

translation: Trump claimed that China’s actions were unprecedented in global trade.

In response, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce affirmed that while it does not desire a trade war, it is ready to defend its interests against unilateral US actions. This latest development is seen as part of ongoing and escalating tensions in US-China trade relations.