On Monday morning, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to hit China with additional 50 percent tariffs starting Wednesday if it doesn’t withdraw its retaliatory tariffs by tomorrow. The move comes in response to Beijing’s decision last Friday to impose 34 percent tariffs on all U.S. imports, in response to Trump’s 34 percent “reciprocal tariffs” on Chinese goods. Beijing’s move was seen by trade experts as a hard-hitting response because its tariffs, unlike Trump’s, did not include any carve-outs for certain imports like energy.

Here is Trump’s full post on Truth Social:

“Yesterday, China issued Retaliatory Tariffs of 34%, on top of their already record setting Tariffs, Non-Monetary Tariffs, Illegal Subsidization of companies, and massive long term Currency Manipulation, despite my warning that any country that Retaliates against the U.S. by issuing additional Tariffs, above and beyond their already existing long term Tariff abuse of our Nation, will be immediately met with new and substantially higher Tariffs, over and above those initially set. Therefore, if China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th. Additionally, all talks with China concerning their requested meetings with us will be terminated! Negotiations with other countries, which have also requested meetings, will begin taking place immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

If Trump makes good on his threat, that would be the fourth time he has hit China with tariffs since taking office for his second term, and it could bring the total average tariff on Chinese goods to a staggering 126 percent.