China May Target US Agricultural Products
Economy
China is considering a series of countermeasures in response to the new import tariffs imposed by the US. According to the state-backed Global Times, these measures may specifically target US agricultural products.
Last week, US President Donald Trump announced an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods, bringing the total tariff to 20%.
According to Global Times, citing an anonymous source, “China is studying and formulating relevant countermeasures in response to the US threat of imposing an additional 10% tariff on Chinese products.” The report notes that these countermeasures may include both tariff and non-tariff restrictions, with a particular focus on US agricultural and food products.
The US economy has long been vulnerable to Chinese sanctions against American agricultural exports. Despite a decline in imports since 2018, China remains the largest market for US agricultural products. That year, Beijing imposed tariffs of up to 25% on soybeans, beef, pork, wheat, corn, and sorghum in retaliation for tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
China, the world’s largest importer of agricultural products and the second-largest economy, imported $29.25 billion worth of US agricultural goods in 2024—a 14% drop compared to the previous year.
Analysts suggest that China still hopes to negotiate a settlement with the Trump administration to avoid an all-out trade war. However, the lack of scheduled trade talks reduces the likelihood of a compromise.
“A China-US trade war is not inevitable, but Trump’s decision to impose tariffs now is a mistake. Trump and his advisers may think that this move puts pressure on China, but in reality, it will backfire, and Beijing will undoubtedly respond with strong countermeasures,” said Wang Dong, Executive Director of the Institute for Global Cooperation and Understanding at Peking University.
According to Global Times, citing an anonymous source, “China is studying and formulating relevant countermeasures in response to the US threat of imposing an additional 10% tariff on Chinese products.” The report notes that these countermeasures may include both tariff and non-tariff restrictions, with a particular focus on US agricultural and food products.
The US economy has long been vulnerable to Chinese sanctions against American agricultural exports. Despite a decline in imports since 2018, China remains the largest market for US agricultural products. That year, Beijing imposed tariffs of up to 25% on soybeans, beef, pork, wheat, corn, and sorghum in retaliation for tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
China, the world’s largest importer of agricultural products and the second-largest economy, imported $29.25 billion worth of US agricultural goods in 2024—a 14% drop compared to the previous year.
Analysts suggest that China still hopes to negotiate a settlement with the Trump administration to avoid an all-out trade war. However, the lack of scheduled trade talks reduces the likelihood of a compromise.
“A China-US trade war is not inevitable, but Trump’s decision to impose tariffs now is a mistake. Trump and his advisers may think that this move puts pressure on China, but in reality, it will backfire, and Beijing will undoubtedly respond with strong countermeasures,” said Wang Dong, Executive Director of the Institute for Global Cooperation and Understanding at Peking University.
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