While President Donald Trump scaled back his blanket “Liberation Day” tariffs on most countries, he used the move to escalate his trade war against China.
The trade war is broader in scope than the one during his first administration and continues to intensify with each round of retaliatory tariffs.
Here’s a timeline of the 2025 U.S.-China trade war.
Feb. 4: Trump slaps China with 10% tariffs
On Feb. 1, Trump announced the imposition of a 25% tariff on Mexican and Canadian goods, and a lower 10% tariff on Chinese goods, in retaliation for the countries’ alleged roles in facilitating the flow of fentanyl to the United States.
Negotiations with Mexico and Canada halted the 25% tariffs before they were due to take effect, but the 10% tariff against China was implemented on Feb. 4. Trump also ended the loophole waving tariffs on low-cost packages from China, however this was restored the following day.
China retaliated the same day, levying a 15% tariff on coal and liquefied natural gas and a 10% tariff on crude oil, agricultural machinery, large-displacement cars, and pickup trucks. The tariffs took effect Feb. 10.
Read more from the Washington Examiner:
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Feb. 10: Trump announces tariffs on steel and aluminum
In two proclamations, Trump hit all steel and aluminum imports with a 25% tariff. The tariffs went into effect on March 12.
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Trump ratchets up trade war with expected steel and aluminum tariffs
March 4: Trump raises tariffs on China to 20%
Trump amended the Feb. 4 blanket tariffs on China, boosting them to 20%. In an executive order, he argued that Beijing hadn’t taken sufficient measures to address the fentanyl trade.
“Pursuant to section 3 of Executive Order 14195, I have determined that the PRC has not taken adequate steps to alleviate the illicit drug crisis through cooperative enforcement actions, and that the crisis described in Executive Order 14195 has not abated,” the executive order reads.
China retaliated the same day with tariffs that took effect March 10. A 15% tariff was imposed on U.S. chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton, and a 10% tariff was imposed on U.S. sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.
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April 2: “Liberation Day”
Trump rocked the world economy on April 2 when he declared 10% blanket tariffs on nearly every country during a Rose Garden ceremony. He added higher tariffs on countries accused of implementing unfair trade practices, with China on that list. China was hit with a 34% tariff on top of the previous 20% tariff, bringing the total to 54%.
The same day, Trump also ended the duty-free treatment of low-value shipments from China, a major blow to Chinese drop shippers reliant on the U.S. for customers.
Read more from the Washington Examiner:
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April 4: China retaliates with 34% tariffs
A statement from the Chinese Ministry of Finance derided the U.S. tariffs as “bullying,” as the country hit all U.S. imports with a blanket 34% tariff. The tariffs took effect on April 10.
“This practice of the U.S. is not in line with international trade rules, undermines China’s legitimate rights and interests, and is a typical unilateral bullying practice,” the Chinese State Council Tariff Commission said in a statement.
Read more from the Washington Examiner:
China announces 34% retaliatory tariffs on US imports
April 8: Trump imposes additional 50% tariff on China for retaliating, 104% total
Trump slapped China with an additional 50% blanket tariff in retaliation for its retaliatory 34% tariff imposed in response to “Liberation Day.” The move brought the total tariffs on China to 104%.
The move came after a threat from Trump posted on Truth Social, saying he would impose the additional tariffs and terminate any negotiations with China if the tariffs weren’t rescinded.
“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!” he wrote.
China said that the retaliatory measures were taken to ensure its interests, and threw off negotiations to sell TikTok.
“The countermeasures China has taken are aimed at safeguarding its sovereignty, security, and development interests and maintaining the normal international trade order. They are completely legitimate,” China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement. “The U.S. threat to escalate tariffs on China is a mistake on top of a mistake and once again exposes the blackmailing nature of the U.S. China will never accept this. If the U.S. insists on its own way, China will fight to the end.”
The new tariffs took effect at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday.
Read more from the Washington Examiner:
Trump threatens additional 50% tariff on China
Trump slaps 104% tariff on China after Beijing vows to ‘fight’
April 9: China slaps U.S. with 84% tariffs
Shortly after the new U.S. tariffs took effect, China hit the U.S. with an additional 84% tariff, bringing its total tariffs on U.S. imports up to 118%.
“The U.S. escalation of tariffs on China is a mistake on top of a mistake, severely infringing upon China’s legitimate rights and interests, and seriously damaging the multilateral trading system based on rules,” China’s State Council Tariff Commission said in a statement.
In line with previous retaliatory restrictions, China’s Commerce Ministry also imposed export controls on a dozen U.S. companies and added six U.S. firms to its “unreliable entity list,” banning them from trading or making new investments in China.
Read more from the Washington Examiner:
China slaps US with 84% retaliatory tariffs
April 9: Trump slaps China with 125% tariffs, raising total to 145%
In a major development, Trump paused most tariffs on nearly all nonretaliating countries, setting them at a 10% baseline. The one major exception was China, on which Trump raised tariffs to 125%.
“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately. At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable,” Trump wrote.
The following day, White House officials confirmed to the Washington Examiner that China’s effective rate now sits at 145%. The 125% tariff announced on Wednesday only factors in “reciprocal” escalations from China, which are added to the two 10% tariffs Trump levied against China to push it to combat the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.
Read more from the Washington Examiner:
Trump pauses tariffs for 90 days on dozens of countries, raises rate on China to 125%
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White House clarifies new China tariff rate of 145%, not 125%
April 11: China raises tariffs to 125%
In retaliation for the new 125% tariff, Beijing responded tit-for-tat with its own 125% tariff. The Chinese Ministry of Finance signaled that the newest tariff could be the last.
“Given that American goods are no longer marketable in China under the current tariff rates, if the U.S. further raises tariffs on Chinese exports, China will disregard such measures,” it said in a statement.
“The U.S. alternately raising abnormally high tariffs on China has become a numbers game, which has no practical economic significance, and will become a joke in the history of the world economy. However, if the U.S. insists on continuing to substantially infringe on China’s interests, China will resolutely counter and fight to the end,” the statement continued.
The previous day, China escalated its rhetoric. Chinese Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning posted a video of a Feb. 7, 1953, speech by former Chinese dictator Mao Zedong pledging to keep fighting the Korean War until its successful conclusion.
“We are Chinese. We are not afraid of provocations. We don’t back down,” Mao Ning captioned the video, alongside a Chinese flag emoji.
Read more from the Washington Examiner:
China raises tariffs on US to 125% to match Trump’s rate
Chinese diplomat invokes Mao Zedong in promise to not ‘back down’ from trade war
Xi Jinping has spent his career preparing for tariff faceoff. It may not be enough
