Beijing has imposed sweeping tariffs on American food imports and said 15 American companies can no longer buy products from China without special permission.
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On Tuesday, minutes after President Trump's latest tariffs took effect, the Chinese government said it was imposing its own sweeping tariffs on food imports from the United States, effectively halting sales to 15 American companies.
China’s Finance Ministry has imposed 15 percent tariffs on imports of American chicken, wheat, corn and cotton, and 10 percent duties on other food products, from soybeans to dairy products. In addition, the Commerce Department said 15 American companies would no longer be allowed to buy products from China without special permission, including Skydio, the largest U.S. drone maker and supplier to the U.S. military and emergency services.
Lu Qinjian, a spokesman for China's National People's Congress, criticized the United States for violating the World Trade Organization's free trade rules. “By imposing unilateral tariffs, the United States has violated WTO rules and damaged the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains,” he said.
President Trump has said the tariffs he imposed are necessary to stop the supply of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that has caused hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths, from entering the United States.
However, the US imposition of tariffs “will deal a serious blow to dialogue and cooperation in the fight against drugs,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a briefing.
