Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a sharp increase in tariffs on Chinese goods, citing what he described as China’s ongoing disregard for global market norms.
Daily News 24 reports that in a post shared on his Truth Social account on Wednesday, Trump declared that the United States will now impose a 125% tariff on imports from China, effective immediately.
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“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets,” he wrote, “I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%.”
He expressed hope that China would soon realize that “the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable.”
At the same time, Trump announced a more conciliatory approach toward other trading partners. He revealed that over 75 countries have engaged in discussions with U.S. representatives, including officials from the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and the United States Trade Representative (USTR), on a range of trade issues.
Acknowledging that these countries have refrained from retaliating against the U.S., Trump authorized a 90-day pause on further tariff actions for them and approved a lowered reciprocal tariff rate of 10%, effective immediately.
On April 3, 2025, the U.S. also imposed a 14% tariff on Nigerian exports in response to Nigeria’s 27% tariff on U.S. goods. In addition to Nigeria, other African nations such as Ghana, Ethiopia, and Mauritius are also facing reciprocal tariffs.
On Monday, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) highlighted what it described as unfair trade practices impacting U.S. exporters, citing Nigeria’s import ban on 25 product categories, including agricultural goods, pharmaceuticals, beverages, and consumer items like beef, pork, poultry, and fruit juices. The USTR pointed out that such restrictions create significant trade barriers, limit U.S. market access, and result in lost revenue for U.S. businesses hoping to expand in the Nigerian market.
