While Trump did not explicitly name China in his tariff announcement, he did issue an overall warning of higher tariffs on transshipped goods, which typically originate in China.
Chinese state media warned the Trump administration Tuesday against striking deals that sideline China, after the president announced that Asian countries would face higher tariffs starting Aug. 1, unless other arrangements are agreed on before then.
“If such situations arise, China will not accept them and will resolutely take countermeasures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,” the People’s Daily, a state-run newspaper, said in a commentary.
Donald Trump said there would be 25% import tariffs on U.S. allies South Korea and Japan, 36% on Thailand and Cambodia, 35% on Bangladesh, 32% on Indonesia, 40% on Myanmar and Laos, and 25% on Malaysia.