China pounds back on Trump for imposing tariffs on Chinese aluminium and steel imports

China, being the largest aluminium exporter to the US, has decided not to remain silent about Trump’s $3 billion tariffs imposition on Chinese aluminium and steel imports. The country has unveiled its plan today (23rd of March, 2018) to consider a 15 per cent tariff on US products including dried fruit, wine, and steel pipes, and 25 per cent on pork products and recycled aluminium, said the commerce ministry in a statement on its website.

The ministry further added that China has made a list of 128 US products in total that could be targeted, unless both the countries come to a mutual agreement on trade issues. This, they say, will implement in two stages: first the 15 per cent tariff on 120 products including pipes and wine worth $977 million and later, the 25 per cent tariff on pork and recycled aluminium worth $1.99 billion.

As a measure, the US President Donald Trump has signed a presidential memorandum targeting up to $60 billion in Chinese goods with tariffs, but only after a 30-day consultation period which will start after the list gets published. So, it is assumed that Beijing’s declaration of its planned revenge against Donald Trump’s higher tariffs imposition on Chinese aluminium and steel imports has served as a warning to Washington.

The commerce ministry of China also said, “We intend to impose tariffs on certain U.S. imports to balance out the losses caused to Chinese interests by the U.S. tariffs on imported steel and aluminium,”

China has even decided to take a legal action under the framework of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to maintain the stability of global trading rules, but only if required. Otherwise, the country is hopeful about being able to resolve the issues with the US through dialogues.