By: Rejoice Henrietta Otoo Arthur
China is preparing to hit back hard after U.S. President Donald Trump rolled out a sweeping set of new tariffs on over 60 countries, including a punishing 104% tax on Chinese goods entering the U.S. While many nations were caught off guard, China’s response has been calm but firm—it will not back down.
These new tariffs come after China refused to meet Trump’s deadline to remove its own taxes on American goods. Instead of folding under pressure, Beijing has made its position clear: it won’t be bullied, and it won’t be the first to blink.
Chinese state media quickly pushed out a strong message the moment the tariffs took effect: “We don’t create trouble, but we don’t fear it.” Social media in China lit up with nationalistic messages and anti-Trump posts. Many praised the government’s tough stance, calling on the country to “fight to the end” and show the world its strength. Even the usually censored platform Weibo was flooded with angry comments, mocking Trump’s policies and highlighting the irony of the U.S. asking for more egg imports while slapping tariffs on trade partners.
Behind the bold words lies a confident strategy. China knows that trade with the U.S. only makes up a small part of its massive economy. About 2% of its GDP depends on exports to America, meaning that the country has a large domestic market to lean on. Economists say this gives China a stronger hand than many others now scrambling to respond.
But the pain is real. Businesses in China that export to the U.S. are bracing for impact, and government officials are now working behind the scenes to prepare their own set of countermeasures. These could be announced at any moment—and they are expected to hit key American industries in return.
At the same time, China is watching the political drama unfold in Washington. Infighting in the White House, including a public clash between Elon Musk and Trump’s trade advisor, only seems to reinforce Beijing’s belief that the U.S. is divided and rushing into a fight without a clear endgame.
International experts say this could be the beginning of a long and damaging conflict. While Trump insists that the tariffs will bring jobs back to America, critics warn that they could trigger inflation, raise prices for U.S. shoppers, and even push the world closer to a recession.
For now, China is staying calm. But its message is loud and clear: it will retaliate, and it will not retreat.
Donald Trump to slap 104% tariffs on Chinese imports, White House says
