[930 MBC News]
◀ Anchor ▶
The United States has imposed an additional 10% tariff on China, and China has retaliated with counter-tariffs, raising concerns of a second US-China trade war.
Reporting from New York is correspondent Lim Kyung-ah.
◀ Report ▶
White House spokesperson Caroline Lippitt met with reporters and announced that a call is being scheduled between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, stating that the call would happen “soon.”
She repeatedly emphasized that the tariffs were imposed because of “the supply and distribution of fentanyl.”
[Caroline Lippitt / White House Spokesperson]
“This is a retaliatory tariff for China’s unprecedented levels of fentanyl sent to the US border over the past four years.”
There were reports that the leaders would have a phone call today, but President Trump told reporters at the White House that the call would happen “at an appropriate time,” leaving room for speculation.
While a ‘25% full tariff’ on Canada and Mexico was deferred at the last minute a day before implementation, the additional 10% tariff on China took effect as scheduled today at midnight local time.
As a result, all imported goods from China now face an average tariff rate of 30%, including the existing 10%.
China promptly responded by imposing an additional 15% tariff on US coal and LNG and decided to control exports of raw materials like tungsten.
The Washington Post noted that the amount of goods subject to tariffs is much larger than during Trump’s first term, which will heavily burden American consumers already strained by rising prices.
Although the second US-China trade war seems to have begun, since China’s retaliatory tariffs against the US are set to take effect on the 10th, there is also a forecast that a dramatic compromise could be reached in the last-minute call between the two leaders.
Meanwhile, the Japanese government officially announced that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will visit the United States on the 6th.
The Japanese government stated, “He will hold his first summit with President Trump in Washington DC” and aims to “build a solid trust and cooperative relationship and elevate the US-Japan alliance to a higher level.”
This is Lim Kyung-ah for MBC News from New York.
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