Payam Javan: Beijing announced on Friday that it will raise tariffs on U.S. imports from 84 percent to 125 percent, effective Saturday, in response to the U.S. increasing duties on Chinese goods to 145 percent. The move, declared by China’s Ministry of Finance, escalates the ongoing trade dispute between the two nations. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized China’s tariff hike, arguing it would harm its own economy more due to its imbalanced trade structure, with Chinese exports to the U.S. far exceeding American exports to China.

The White House confirmed on April 10 that U.S. tariffs on Chinese products now total 145 percent, incorporating a prior 20 percent duty linked to fentanyl trafficking. President Trump, who signed the executive order for the U.S. tariff increase, accused China of exploiting the U.S. economy, justifying the hike as a push for fairer trade. Bessent emphasized the need for China to address issues like fentanyl precursor chemicals and rebalance its consumption-driven economy, warning that further measures, including delisting Chinese stocks from U.S. exchanges, remain possible.