China on Wednesday said it would strike back against the U.S. after the Trump administration announced it would impose another 10 percent tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese exports.
Reuters reported that China’s commerce ministry called the new tariffs “completely unacceptable,” adding that it was “shocked” and would file a complaint with the World Trade Organization.
China’s foreign ministry said the Trump administration’s actions were “typical bullying” and promised retaliatory action against the U.S., according to the wire service. It’s unclear what that action could include.
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Reuters noted that significantly less than $200 billion of U.S. goods are exported to China, which means the country could have to turn to creative measures in order to retaliate.
The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it would impose a 10 percent tariff on $200 billion of Chinese imports, just days after it implemented a 25 percent tariff on $34 billion of Chinese imports.
“For over a year, the Trump administration has patiently urged China to stop its unfair practices, open its market, and engage in true market competition,” U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement.
“Rather than address our legitimate concerns, China has begun to retaliate against U.S. products,” he continued. “There is no justification for such action.”
China has already imposed retaliatory measures in response to the initial Trump trade moves, and accused Trump last week of starting “the biggest trade war in economic history.”