Breaking! New waves in China-U.S. economic and trade relations: Trump announces a 100% tariff on Chinese goods, China's Ministry of Commerce responds strongly.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced on Friday that the United States will impose an additional 100% tariff on all goods imported from China starting November 1, 2025 (or implemented earlier depending on subsequent actions by China).

This means that for some products, the comprehensive tax rate will exceed 130% based on the current tariff, making it one of the most severe unilateral measures in the history of China-U.S. trade relations.

Trump stated at a White House press conference that this measure is a "necessary countermeasure against China's recent export control actions." At the same time, the U.S. government will launch an export control plan for "all critical American-made software" on the same day to "cut off China's dependence on U.S. technology."

He added in a post on his personal social media platform TruthSocial:

According to officials from the White House and the Department of Commerce, this tariff measure will:

Effective Date: Tentatively November 1, 2025 (may be implemented earlier if China further tightens rare earth exports).

Tax Rate Structure: A 100% "additional tariff" will be added on top of the existing 10% equivalent tariff and the 20% "fentanyl tariff," resulting in a total tax rate that may exceed 130%.

Scope of application: Covers almost all import categories, including consumer electronics (mobile phones, computers), machinery and equipment, clothing and textiles, toys, furniture, and agricultural products. It is expected to affect approximately $500 billion in total bilateral trade.

Exemption Clause: No exemption mechanism has been established yet, and in the future, it may only open limited channels for "strategic necessities."

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo stated that this will be "the most comprehensive trade action to date," aimed at "forcing China to reconsider its export restrictions and asymmetric policies."

In addition to tariffs, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) will simultaneously implement new export controls on critical software, which will officially take effect through amendments to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

China will be classified as a "High-Risk Export Destination," with the scope of regulation including:

● Cloud computing and operating system services: such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services;

● Artificial intelligence algorithms and training platforms: including large language model training environments;

● Semiconductor design and simulation software: Synopsys, Cadence, etc.;

● Enterprise-level database management and ERP systems: Oracle, SAP, etc.

特朗普在记者会上强调：

This combination of "tariffs + controls" is widely regarded as a direct response to China's rare earth policies.

Just the day before (October 9), the Ministry of Commerce of China issued the "Announcement on the Implementation of a Licensing System for the Export of Rare Earths and Certain Key Raw Materials," which is planned to be implemented starting from November 2025, requiring that the export of certain rare earth products must obtain special permits.

The Ministry of Commerce of China stated that the measure complies with international rules and is a "normal practice" to improve the export control system based on laws and regulations.

The document emphasizes that China "as a responsible major country, will cautiously implement export controls under the premise of ensuring national security and international common security."

However, in Washington, this is seen as a "strategic supply chain threat."

A spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council stated that China's "dominance" in the rare earth sector gives it "asymmetric influence" and accused this move of being "geopolitical pressure through resource leverage."

【Beijing Time, October 12, 2025】——In response to the latest tax increases and regulatory statements from the U.S., a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce issued a stern reply:

The Chinese side has noted the statements made by the U.S. side. The previous export control measures on rare earths and other items released by the Chinese side are normal actions based on legal grounds and aimed at improving the control system.

● The U.S. has long generalized the concept of national security and abused export controls;

● Its export restriction list exceeds 3,000 items, while the Chinese side has only about 900 items;

● The actions of the U.S. side seriously harm the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises and disrupt the stability of the global industrial chain;

● This move violates multilateral trade rules and undermines the achievements of China-U.S. economic and trade consultations.