2.0时代的中美关系 时间线

特朗普2.0时代的中美关系：时间线

2025年7月18日 中国简报发布

https://www.china-briefing.com/news/us-china-relations-in-the-trump-2-0-implications/

此时间线创建于2025年1月21日，最后更新于2025年7月18日。

2025年1月20日，唐纳德·特朗普宣誓就任美国第47任总统。他重返白宫标志着中美关系的转变。在其第一任期强硬立场的基础上，特朗普2.0预计将以更具交易性和不可预测的方式挑战中国。他的政策带来的经济、安全和外交后果不仅将重塑中美关系，还将影响更广泛的全球地缘政治格局。

预计特朗普将加剧其第一届政府时期的贸易对抗，可能通过提高关税和制裁中国企业来实现更大的经济自给自足。然而，特朗普专注于美国眼前利益，可能为建立长期战略联盟留下空间，这使得他的政策更加难以预测。在特朗普试图在动荡的政治背景下开启第二任期之际，中国需要迅速适应这位更注重短期胜利而非追求传统外交战略的美国总统。

本时间表将追踪特朗普2.0时代中美关系的关键发展，探讨其对中国经济和其他关键方面的潜在影响，同时深入分析华盛顿和北京在面对新一轮地缘政治竞争时将采取的战略。

此前，《中国简报》追踪并记录了特朗普时代的中美贸易战以及拜登时代的中美关系演变。

在中国经商，探索深度投资和商业指南。

探索重要的经济、地理和监管洞察，帮助商业投资者、管理者或外籍人士了解中国的商业环境。我们的在线商业指南提供来自实地顾问的讲解文章、新闻、实用工具和视频，这些顾问为在中国经商的知识贡献力量。开始探索特朗普2.0时代的中美关系.2025年7月18日：特朗普暗示立场趋于温和，中美关系出现解冻迹象

近期事态发展表明，中美贸易紧张局势可能有所缓和，因为唐纳德·特朗普总统在可能与中国国家主席习近平举行面对面会晤之前，对北京采取了更为和解的语气。

据彭博社周三发布的报道，特朗普现在优先考虑与中国快速达成类似其第一任期内达成的采购协议，而不是旨在纠正贸易失衡的更深层次的结构性改革。据报道，在内部会议上，特朗普是“会议室里最不鹰派的声音”，这表明其战略正在转变，旨在确保取得切实的胜利并达成新的贸易协定。

消息人士还表示，美国可能会将目前与中国的关税休战协议（原定于8月12日到期）延长三个月。此前几周，特朗普政府采取了一系列较为温和的举措，包括取消对中国获取美国电子设计自动化（EDA）软件的限制，并允许英伟达恢复向中国出口其H20 AI芯片。

特朗普最近还称赞中国在应对美国芬太尼危机方面取得了“重大进展”，这标志着其语气的显著转变。今年早些时候，中国涉嫌在芬太尼出口中扮演的角色被列为对中国商品征收20%关税的关键理由。

美国财政部长斯科特·贝森特也缓解了人们的担忧，他告诉商界领袖不必担心即将到来的8月12日最后期限。相反，贝森特称美中谈判“进展顺利”，并表示希望在不久的将来与中国国务院副总理何立峰举行会晤。

随着双方逐渐减少经济压力并释放合作意愿，市场谨慎乐观地认为美中关系可能趋于稳定——尤其是在特朗普传闻访华前，两国关系势头增强的情况下。

2025年7月10日：特朗普宣布对铜进口征收50%的关税, 特朗普总统在Truth Social网站上发表文章宣布，他将对所有进口铜征收50%的关税，自8月1日起生效，旨在“再次打造一个占主导地位的铜产业”。

截至撰写本文时，尚未发布有关该关税的官方信息，因此尚不清楚哪些铜制品将受到关税影响。

根据美国人口普查局的数据，2024年美国进口了价值约171亿美元的铜及铜制品，其中不到3%来自中国（4.842亿美元）。美国铜进口的绝大部分来自智利（35.7%）和加拿大（23.3%）。

中国仍然在全球铜供应链中占据主导地位。2024年，中国生产了2300万吨铜和1360万吨稀土。

根据国家统计局的数据，中国已将罚款铜出口至美国。中国海关数据显示，2024年中国铜及铜制品出口总额达140亿美元。2024年，中国最大的铜出口市场是台湾、韩国、泰国和越南，铜在这些国家用于生产关键产品和技术，包括半导体、智能手机、电池以及太阳能和风能技术。

由于没有关于哪些产品将被征收关税的具体细节，目前尚不清楚这将对中国铜行业造成何种影响。虽然中国直接向美国出口的铜量很小，但显然大量中国制造的铜被用于运往美国的最终产品。更广泛地实施针对含铜产品的关税，可能会对中国出口产生更大的连锁反应。

2025年7月3日：美国解除对华关键芯片设计软件及技术的出口禁令, 美国商务部工业和安全局（BIS）已通知提供电子设计自动化（EDA）软件的公司，他们可以无需许可证即可向中国出口服务，相关公司已向记者证实。

5月23日，美国三大EDA软件供应商——Cadence、Synopsys和Siemens——收到了BIS的信函，信中称，他们需要获得出口许可证才能向中国提供芯片设计软件和技术。

Siemens在其网站上发布的一份声明中表示，已收到BIS的通知，对中国客户的EDA软件和技术出口限制已取消。该公司补充说，因此，它“已恢复对软件和技术的全面访问[...]，并已恢复对中国客户的销售和支持。”

EDA出口禁令的解除可能与中美上周达成的协议有关。该协议尚未公开，但已得到中美两国官员的确认。协议规定，中国将批准稀土和其他关键材料的出口许可证，以换取美国取消对华采取的反制措施。

据路透社报道，美国还致函乙烷生产商，要求其“撤销5月底和6月对华出口的限制性许可要求”，这可能是美国为履行协议义务而采取的另一项努力。

2025年6月27日：中美官员称已达成加快稀土许可证发放的协议

6月26日（周四），特朗普告诉记者，美国已于前一天与中国签署了一项协议，以促进稀土出口到美国。美国商务部长霍华德·卢特尼克随后重申了这一消息。他周五在接受彭博社采访时表示，中国将开始向美国供应稀土，以换取美国取消对华反制措施。

周五，中国商务部（MOFCOM）确认了部分细节，称中国将“批准符合法律规定条件的管制物项出口申请”，以换取美国解除“一系列针对中国的限制措施”。

虽然协议细节尚未公布，但官员们的声明表明，在5月份达成的日内瓦协议设定的8月12日最后期限之前，阻碍贸易谈判的核心问题之一已取得重大进展。

在更广泛的中美贸易关系背景下，该协议的范围可能仍然有限，侧重于落实日内瓦协议达成的各项协议，而该协议主要撤销自4月2日以来采取的行动，而非解决长期存在的争端。

2025年6月16日：美国商务部将50%钢铁关税扩大至家用电器

周一，美国商务部工业与安全局（BIS）发布公告，将数款家用电器纳入钢铁衍生品关税清单，这意味着这些产品在进口到美国时将被额外征收50%的关税。新的关税将根据产品中所含钢材的比例而非整个产品征收，并将于2025年6月23日生效。

此前，特朗普总统于6月3日签署公告，将钢铁和铝产品及其衍生产品的关税税率从25%提高至50%，该公告自6月4日起生效。

目前适用50%关税的“钢铁衍生产品”包括：

两用冰箱（HTSUS：8418.10.00）

小型和大型烘干机（HTSUS：8451.21.00和8451.29.00）

洗衣机（HTSUS：8450.11.00和8450.20.00）

洗碗机（HTSUS：8422.11.00）

卧式和立式冷冻柜（HTSUS： 8418.30.00 和 8418.40.00)

炉灶、炉灶和烤箱 (HTSUS: 8516.60.40)

食物垃圾处理器 (HTSUS: 8509.80.20)

焊接金属架 (HTSUS: 9403.99.9020)

以下产品进口总值

根据美国国际贸易中心贸易地图 (ITC Trade Map) 的数据，2024年，这些HTSUS子目产品从中国进口的金额接近30亿美元。虽然大多数此类产品将根据其钢材含量征税，但焊接线架产品也将根据其铝含量征税。

由于该关税仅针对产品中所含钢材或铝的比例，因此不会对所有进入美国的家用电器产生同等影响。中国机电产品进出口商会 (CCCME) 的一位代表告诉《财新》，该关税将对洗衣机等钢材含量较高的大型家电出口商产生负面影响，但对其他产品类别的影响有限，并指出“许多中国制造的家电的钢材和铝含量通常在15%到30%之间”。

2025年6月11日：中美两国在伦敦会晤后就贸易“框架”达成一致；现行关税税率保持不变

6月9日至10日，中美两国高级官员在伦敦举行了为期两天的会谈，双方就一项框架协议达成一致，以维护5月份达成的日内瓦贸易协定的条款。

尽管该框架协议的细节尚未公布，但特朗普周三对记者表示：“我们与中国达成了一项很棒的协议。我们对此非常满意。”他还补充说：“我们拥有所需的一切，我们将很好地执行协议。”

中国商务部国际贸易谈判代表李成钢在会谈后的新闻发布会上表示，双方“原则上同意落实两国元首6月5日通话共识以及日内瓦会谈达成的协议的框架”。

特朗普在“真相社交”（Truth Social）网站上发表文章称，与中国的协议“已经完成，但需经特朗普和习近平最终批准”。他还表示，围绕中国稀土金属出口的分歧已经得到解决，并表示中国将“预先”供应整套磁铁和任何必要的稀土。特朗普还表示，美国将向中国提供“双方已达成的协议”，包括继续允许中国学生赴美留学，这表明美国正在收回此前威胁撤销中国学生签证和暂停新签证申请的立场。

他还表示，美国将“总共征收55%的关税，中国征收10%的关税”，这表明目前的关税安排将保持不变。美国商务部长霍华德·卢特尼克周三向记者证实，对华征收55%的关税税率将保持不变。

55%的关税包括自2025年4月2日起实施的全球10%最低基准关税、自2025年3月4日起实施的20%“芬太尼”关税，以及自特朗普第一任期以来对大多数中国商品实施的25%的301条款关税。

由于缺乏框架协议的更多具体细节，目前尚不清楚双方究竟达成了哪些条款，以及围绕稀土金属（参见6月9日的条目）的分歧和误解是否已经得到解决。

2025年6月9日：中美官员在伦敦开始贸易谈判，焦点可能集中在稀土出口许可证的发放上

周一，中国国务院副总理何立峰在伦敦会见了美国财政部长斯科特·贝森特、商务部长霍华德·卢特尼克和美国贸易代表杰米森·格里尔，举行了“中美经贸磋商机制”首次会议。这一机制，中方称之为“日内瓦机制”，是在5月份举行的贸易会议期间建立的，该会议促成了日内瓦贸易协定的达成。

会议将于周二继续进行，尽管官方信息尚未公布，但谈判很可能集中于解决围绕中国发放稀土出口许可证的误解。

作为日内瓦贸易协定的一部分，中国同意自2025年4月2日特朗普对美国实施互惠关税以来，暂停或取消其对美国采取的非关税反制措施。然而，对于中国在该协定下的具体义务范围，各方存在重大分歧。

4月4日，中国对七种具有“两用”属性的稀土金属实施出口限制，要求出口商申请出口这些产品的许可证。这些限制适用于全球，而不仅仅是对美国的出口，并且根据《两用物项出口管制规定》，申请需要45天才能完成。

美方似乎期望中国彻底取消许可要求，或大幅加快对输美产品申请的处理速度。然而，由于这些限制适用于所有国家，而不仅仅是美国，而且处理时间和要求均由中国法律规定，因此，如果没有进一步的激励措施，中国不太可能为美国做出这样的让步。

中国

国家主席习近平和特朗普总统6月5日的通话似乎澄清了一些误解，但具体讨论了什么尚不清楚。如果双方达成互惠协议，中国仍有可能就此问题做出一些让步。据路透社报道，白宫经济顾问凯文·哈塞特告诉记者，“美国可能会同意取消对部分半导体的出口管制，以换取中国加快稀土供应”。

2025年6月5日：习近平和特朗普通话，暗示未来将举行面对面会谈

周四，习近平主席和特朗普总统进行了通话，此举有助于缓解贸易和出口管制方面日益加剧的紧张局势。此次会谈正值双方互相指责对方未能履行5月中旬达成的贸易协定条款之际。

特朗普在其社交媒体平台“真相社交”（Truth Social）上发布的帖子表示，此次通话持续约一个半小时，围绕“我们[…]贸易协议的一些复杂细节”展开，并“取得了对两国都非常积极的成果”。虽然他没有透露更多细节，但他表示，双方只讨论了贸易问题，并补充说“关于稀土产品的复杂性，应该不再存在任何问题”。这表明，双方讨论了中国对某些稀土金属的出口限制，这是贸易谈判的核心症结之一。

特朗普还表示，中国官员和特朗普政府官员将很快在“待定地点”会晤，美方代表包括财政部长斯科特·贝森特、商务部长霍华德·卢特尼克和美国贸易代表杰米森·格里尔。

特朗普还声称，习近平邀请特朗普访华，特朗普也向习近平发出了邀请。

据新华社报道，习近平呼吁加强对话与合作，并指出美中应“加强外交、经贸、军事、执法等领域对话”。

尽管特朗普表示双方只讨论了贸易问题，但新华社的报道指出，习近平警告美方慎重处理台湾问题，“避免让少数‘台独’分裂分子把美中两国推入冲突对抗的危险境地”。

据新华社报道，特朗普表示他对习近平表示最崇高的敬意，并表示美国欢迎中国经济持续增长。他还重申美国将坚持一个中国政策。

2025年5月31日：特朗普自6月4日起将钢铁和铝关税提高一倍至50%

特朗普总统宣布，美国将从6月4日起将所有进口至美国的钢铁和铝关税从25%提高至50%。

特朗普于2月初首次根据《1962年贸易扩展法》第232条，对来自所有国家的钢铁和铝进口征收25%的关税。

许多原产于中国的钢铁和铝产品已根据《1974年贸易法》第301条被征收25%的关税。根据《国际紧急经济权力法》（IEEPA），美国于2月和3月对中国商品征收的所谓20%的“芬太尼”关税也将适用于这些商品。然而，“互惠”关税（目前为10%）将不适用，因为受第232条关税约束的商品已被排除在该关税之外。

自6月4日起，对中国钢铁和铝产品的最终关税税率将至少为70%。对于同样受301条款影响的产品，总税率将超过95%。

自特朗普第一任期以来，中国钢铁和铝产品就一直面临301条款关税，导致近年来中国对美直接出口急剧下降。虽然最新一轮关税上调不太可能显著影响中国对美直接出口，但新关税的全球范围可能会进一步打击中国向第三国出口钢铁和铝产品，而这些第三国又将这些产品转口至美国。

2025年5月29日：据报道，美国商务部下令企业停止向中国出口关键芯片材料和软件

据媒体援引匿名消息人士的报道，美国商务部已下令多家美国公司停止向中国提供芯片设计和生产所需的关键软件和材料。

据路透社报道，美国商务部将要求这些公司在获准向中国出口产品之前获得许可证，此前授予的一些许可证已被撤销。

收到美国商务部工业和安全局 (BIS) 信函的公司包括 Cadence、Synopsys 和 Siemens EDA，这三家公司是电子设计自动化 (EDA) 领域的“三巨头”。EDA 是半导体设计所需的关键软件。这些公司收到了

一周前发布的命令，现在要求获得许可证才能向中国销售软件。

据路透社报道，其他被针对的产品包括丁烷和乙烷等半导体化学品，以及机床和航空设备。然而，美国政府尚未公开这些命令。

中国商务部发言人6月2日（星期一）谴责此举，称此举与5月28日决定开始吊销中国留学生签证“严重违反两国元首1月17日达成的共识，严重破坏日内瓦会谈业已达成的共识，严重损害中方合法权益”。

针对特朗普总统指责中国“完全违反”5月份在日内瓦达成的协议，发言人表示，美方“反其道而行之，无理指责中国违反共识，这严重违背事实”。

2025年5月28日：美国国务院表示将“积极”撤销中国学生签证

美国国务卿马可·卢比奥发表声明称，美国国务院将与国土安全部合作，“积极撤销中国学生的签证，包括与中国共产党有联系或在关键领域学习的学生”。签证标准也将进行修订，以“加强对中华人民共和国和香港所有未来签证申请的审查”。

此举正值美国加大对国际学生的打击力度之际，这是特朗普减少移民到美国的议程的一部分。此前一天，据报道，卢比奥已下令美国大使馆和领事馆停止所有新的国际学生签证申请预约，并将实施新的程序来审查学生的社交媒体账户。

上周，特朗普试图阻止哈佛大学为国际学生提供签证担保，但此举已被法官暂时叫停。然而，特朗普政府官员周三告诉美国有线电视新闻网 (CNN)，美国国务院现在将审查所有与哈佛大学相关的签证，包括学生、商务和工作签证。

中国强烈谴责这一声明。外交部发言人毛宁周四向媒体发表声明，称此举是“美方的政治性和歧视性做法”，并表示此举“严重损害了中国留学生的合法权益，干扰了两国正常的文化交流”。

该发言人还表示，中方已正式就此事与美方提出异议。

2025年5月28日：美国联邦法院裁定特朗普超越权限，阻止芬太尼及对等关税

周三，美国国际贸易法院法官裁定，特朗普利用《国际紧急经济权力法》（IEEPA）对所有全球贸易伙伴征收全面关税的行为超越了其权限，并要求政府在10天内取消自4月2日起征收的对等关税，以及针对中国、加拿大和墨西哥征收的与芬太尼贩运相关的关税。

该裁决针对两起针对美国政府及其海关和贸易机构的案件，一起由五家小企业组成，另一起由美国12个州提起。

根据法院的判决书，“法院并未解读IEEPA赋予其如此无限的权力（对几乎所有国家的商品征收无限关税），并撤销了根据该法案征收的受质疑的关税。” 相反，征收此类关税的权力在于国会。

特朗普政府已就该裁决提起上诉，案件最终有可能上诉至最高法院。

如果裁决成立，将影响目前对中国征收的以下关税：

自2025年3月起征收的20%“芬太尼”关税

自2025年4月2日起征收的“对等”关税（自5月14日起征收10%，90天后升至30%）

该裁决不会影响特定行业的关税，例如针对钢铁、铝和汽车的关税，以及针对中国的301条款关税。

虽然该裁决给全球许多企业和国家带来了希望，但值得注意的是，该裁决并非最终裁决，美国政府还有其他方式对所有商品和贸易伙伴征收一揽子关税。高盛分析师告诉CNBC，美国政府或许可以援引《1974年贸易法》第122条或第301条，或《1930年贸易法》第338条。这意味着这项裁决可能只会给美国政府带来暂时的挫折。

尽管如此，特朗普政府在一定程度上将全面关税作为与欧盟、印度和中国等主要伙伴进行贸易谈判的筹码。这项裁决使人们对这些关税能否维持产生了怀疑，从而严重损害了美国的谈判地位。

马云

2025年2月20日：美国商务部在初步裁定中指控中国对关键电池材料提供不公平补贴，为征收高达721%的反补贴税铺平道路

美国商务部（DOC）在一项针对中国产活性阳极材料的反补贴税调查中做出了初步肯定性裁定。该裁定指出，中国对这些关键材料的生产商提供不公平的补贴，补贴税率从6.55%到721.03%不等，损害了美国生产商的利益。

活性阳极材料包括石墨和硅树脂材料，对电动汽车电池的生产至关重要。这项调查是由代表美国石墨生产商的临时贸易协会美国活性阳极材料生产商于2024年12月提起的。据彭博社报道，申请人最初寻求征收高达920%的反补贴关税。

美国商务部将于2025年9月29日发布最终裁定，随后，国际贸易委员会（ITC）也将于2025年11月发布最终裁定和最终反倾销命令。

这意味着美国可能对部分中国生产商（即湖州凯金新能源科技股份有限公司和上海绍盛针织有限公司）征收高达721.03%的反补贴关税，并对所有其他中国公司征收6.55%的关税。

美国商务部目前正在对来自中国的活性阳极材料进行反倾销税调查。

2025年5月18日：中国宣布对原产于美国、欧盟、台湾和日本的聚甲醛共聚物（POM）征收最高74.9%的反倾销关税

2025年5月18日，中国商务部（MOFCOM）宣布，对原产于美国的聚甲醛共聚物（POM）征收74.9%的反倾销关税。此前，该调查已持续一年。商务部认定，美国、欧盟、台湾和日本的生产商以不公平的低价向中国市场倾销POM共聚物，对中国国内产业造成实质性损害。该反倾销关税将于2025年5月19日起生效，有效期五年。

POM共聚物是一种高强度热塑性塑料，广泛应用于汽车零部件、电子产品、工业机械、消费品、医疗设备和建筑材料等产品。它因其耐用性、抗疲劳性以及可替代铜和锌等金属的特性而备受青睐。此次关税专门适用于中国海关代码39071010和39071090项下的产品。

该裁决规定了针对特定公司的关税：包括泰科纳聚合物公司在内的所有美国出口商均面临74.9%的统一税率。塞拉尼斯德国生产公司等欧盟公司则需缴纳34.5%的关税。台湾宝理塑料股份有限公司和台塑股份公司分别享受3.8%和4%的较低关税，而其他台湾出口商则面临32.6%的关税。包括宝理塑料株式会社和旭化成株式会社在内的日本公司则分别面临35.5%和24.5%的关税。

进口商必须根据货物的海关估价缴纳反倾销税，并按包括关税和关税在内的总价值征收进口增值税。 2025年1月24日至5月18日期间收取的保证金将转换为最终反倾销税。多缴的保证金将被退还，少缴的保证金将不予收取。

2025年5月13日：美国商务部警告美国企业不要使用中国制造的集成电路，包括华为特定的昇腾芯片

美国商务部工业和安全局（BIS）发布了针对美国企业和个人的新指南，警告他们不要使用中国制造的先进计算集成电路（IC）。此举是在中美达成贸易协议（降低互惠关税税率并撤销其他非关税反制措施）的一天后发布的。

BIS最初的公告于5月12日发布，最初警告企业不要在“世界任何地方”使用这些集成电路，但一天后更新了指南，删除了这一措辞。

该指南声称，这些集成电路“很可能是在违反美国出口管制的情况下开发或生产的”，因此其使用违反了《出口管理条例》(EAR) 的一般禁令 10 (GP10)。

GP10 列出了 10 条禁止出口、再出口或在国内转让受 EAR 管辖的商品、软件和技术的禁令。GP10 还禁止美国公司和个人进行明知交易已经或将涉及违反 EAR 的物项的交易。

该指南指出，使用中国制造的集成电路（包括特定的华为 Ascend 芯片）可能违反 GP10 的第十条禁令，即禁止任何个人或公司使用或处理受美国出口管制的物项，前提是该个人或公司明知或有理由知道这些物项与过去、现在或意图违反美国出口法的行为有关。

该指南列出了华为 Ascend

华为 Ascend 910B、华为 Ascend 910C 和华为 Ascend 910D 芯片是可能根据《出口管理条例》（EAR）受到美国出口管制的集成电路芯片的例子。美国商务部工业和安全局 (BIS) 表示，这些芯片可能违反了《出口管理条例》，因为它们很可能是使用美国软件或技术设计的，或使用直接源自美国原产软件或技术的半导体制造设备生产的，或两者兼而有之，而这些软件或技术未经 BIS 许可是被禁止的。

该指南进一步警告称，未经 BIS 授权使用这些集成电路芯片可能导致严厉处罚，“最高处罚包括监禁、罚款、丧失出口权或其他限制”。

BIS 发布的另一份指南还警告公司和个人，某些与转让或支持用于人工智能模型训练的先进计算集成电路芯片相关的活动可能需要 BIS 的授权，尤其是在已知该技术将用于或代表某些国家和地区（包括中国大陆和澳门）进行军事情报或大规模杀伤性武器相关用途的情况下。

中国商务部发言人谴责美国商务部工业和安全局的指导意见，称美方“滥用出口管制措施，以毫无根据的指控对中国芯片产品实施更严格的限制”。发言人补充说，该声明“损害了中国企业的合法权益，威胁了全球半导体供应链的稳定，违反了市场规则，扰乱了国际贸易秩序”。

2025年5月13日：美降低最低关税税率，但小件包裹成本依然高企

特朗普政府已将来自中国大陆和香港的包裹的最低关税税率从120%下调至54%，这与近期中美达成的降低互惠关税协议相一致。

最低关税税率于4月2日首次上调至54%，同一天，特朗普对包括中国在内的多个贸易伙伴征收了所谓的“解放日”关税。随后，该税率两次上调，自5月2日起达到120%，即每件商品收取100美元的费用，并计划从6月1日起将该费用提高到200美元。在周末达成协议将互惠关税降至10%（美国基准最低关税）之后，美国政府将最低税率降至54%，但维持每件商品100美元的费用，取消了原定于6月1日上调至200美元的计划。

尽管税率有所降低，但小包裹的进口成本仍然远高于免税进口之前的水平。对于习惯于低成本免税进口的小企业和消费者来说，这一变化意味着巨大的转变。虽然税率从120%降至54%可能会减轻一些财务负担，但增加的成本和维持不变的每件商品费用仍然是实现经济高效进口的巨大障碍，尤其是对于Shein和Temu等电商平台而言。

2025年5月12日：中美同意将互惠关税降至10%

2025年5月12日（星期一），美国白宫与中国商务部发表联合声明，承诺将互惠关税税率从125%降至10%，为期90天。目前对中国商品征收的20%关税将保持不变，这意味着对中国商品的最终关税税率将为30%。

该协议是在中国国务院副总理何立峰与美国财政部长斯科特·贝森特和美国贸易代表大使杰米森·格里尔上周末在日内瓦会晤后达成的。

根据协议，双方承诺自4月9日起完全取消此前相继实施的更高互惠关税税率。美国最初于4月2日实施的34%的关税税率，中国最初于4月4日实施的34%的关税税率，已修改为10%，初始期限为90天。这意味着，如果未来90天内未能达成进一步协议，且该期限未延长，关税税率将恢复至34%，而非125%。

除降低关税外，中国还同意暂停或取消自2025年4月2日首次对美实施互惠关税以来对美采取的其他非关税反制措施。

在联合声明中，中美双方承诺建立一个持续的贸易磋商机制，由中方副总理何志强主持，美方由格里尔和贝森特主持。虽然具体的让步尚不明确，但潜在的议题包括减少美国贸易逆差和增加美国在中国的市场准入，类似于2020年第一阶段协议。尽管达成了协议，但10%的基准关税可能仍将保留，就像最近美英贸易协议中的情况一样。美国对华2954亿美元的贸易逆差仍然是一个核心问题，尽管过去为减少逆差所做的努力，包括中国在第一阶段协议下承诺购买2000亿美元美国商品，都未能完全兑现。尽管如此，新的框架仍然为更多……提供了一条潜在的途径。

未来将进行实质性谈判。

2025年5月7日：中美官员将于本周六和周日在日内瓦会晤

中国外交部证实，中国国务院副总理何立峰将于5月9日至12日访问瑞士期间，在日内瓦会见美国财政部长斯科特·贝森特和美国贸易代表杰米森·格里尔。

这将是自特朗普挑起全球贸易战以来中美官员的首次会晤。这场贸易战最终导致美国对中国商品征收145%的关税，对中国商品征收125%的反关税。

中国商务部在一份声明中表示，中方同意举行此次会晤，“是在充分考虑全球预期、中方利益以及美国业界和消费者呼声的基础上”。声明还警告称，如果美国希望通过谈判解决争端，就必须“正视单边关税措施对自身和世界造成的严重负面影响”，中国也绝不会同意任何“以谈判为幌子继续进行胁迫和讹诈的企图”。

贝森特在接受福克斯新闻采访时表示，当前局势“不可持续”，双向关税相当于“禁运”。他还表示，他认为此次会谈将更多地致力于“缓和紧张局势”，而非达成贸易协议。当被问及美国是否会考虑在此期间降低对华关税税率以示诚意时，贝森特表示，“所有选项都摆在桌面上”，但如果未能达成协议，特朗普将乐意像对待其他贸易伙伴一样对待中国，“并将关税金额再次提高”。

此次会谈标志着数周来有关谈判正在进行的传闻之后，美中两国取得了重大外交突破。 5月2日，中国商务部向媒体证实，特朗普政府已寻求向中方“传递信息”，中方“目前正在评估”美方就贸易谈判所做的努力。最近几周，美国官员和总统本人均表示，美方正在就关税和贸易问题与中方进行谈判，但中方否认正在进行任何谈判。

在接受福克斯新闻采访时，贝森特还表示，美国“不希望与中国脱钩”。不过，他澄清说，虽然美国将继续从中国购买纺织品和鞋类等低价值商品，但美国确实希望在影响国家安全的“战略性产业”方面与中国脱钩，并表示美国将寻求“带回”钢铁、半导体和医药等国内战略和精密制造产品。

2025年4月22日至24日：特朗普政府暗示未来几周将根据协议降低关税，但与中国的谈判仍未启动

特朗普政府已表示，可能在不久的将来降低对华关税，但这一决定将取决于潜在的谈判和贸易协议。

特朗普总统周二告诉记者，对中国商品征收的145%关税可能会下调。据CNN报道，特朗普告诉记者，“145%的关税非常高，但不会那么高”，并且“会大幅下降，但不会为零”。

此前，美国财政部长斯科特·贝森特在当天早些时候的一次闭门会议上对一群投资者表示：“没有人认为目前的145%和125%的关税现状是可持续的，因此我认为，在不久的将来，贸易紧张局势将会缓和。”

周三，特朗普告诉记者，他将在未来几周内宣布对包括中国在内的贸易伙伴征收新的关税，但具体税率“取决于他们”。他还补充说，如果美国未能与任何公司或国家达成协议，“我们将自行设定关税”。

特朗普政府此前还表示，美国目前正在与中国就一项潜在的贸易协议进行谈判。同样在周三，他还告诉记者，美国正在“积极”与中国进行对话。然而，这一说法遭到了中国和特朗普团队成员的否认。同样在周三，财政部长告诉记者，谈判尚未开始。然而，一位不愿透露姓名的白宫官员告诉Politico，这两份声明并不矛盾，并澄清说，尽管美中之间“始终保持着积极的对话”和“开放的沟通渠道”，但财政部长不愿夸大谈判取得的进展。

中国外交部发言人郭家坤周四在例行记者会上也否认了双方正在进行任何讨论的说法，并告诉记者：“这些都不是事实。据我所知，中美双方目前没有就关税问题进行任何磋商或谈判，更不用说达成协议了。”

郭家坤在前一天的新闻发布会上表示，如果美国愿意谈判，中国的“大门是敞开的”，但他警告称，如果美国继续

对中国施压不会达成协议，并表示“一边施加极端压力一边不断要求达成协议不是与中国打交道的正确方式，根本行不通”。

周三，《金融时报》报道称，特朗普正在考虑将汽车零部件排除在对华关税之外。然而，汽车零部件仍需缴纳特朗普于4月初对所有进口至美国的汽车征收的25%的关税。

2025年4月21日：美国商务部对从东南亚进口的中国制造太阳能电池征收高额关税

周一，美国商务部宣布了对柬埔寨、马来西亚、泰国和越南太阳能电池反倾销 (AD) 和反补贴税 (CVD) 调查的最终裁定。这些调查是在拜登政府于2024年5月应First Solar, Inc.、Hanwha Q CELLS USA, Inc.和Mission Solar Energy LLC的请求而启动的。

初步反补贴税和反补贴税税率分别于2024年10月和11月实施。

美国商务部称，反补贴税调查发现，“从柬埔寨、马来西亚、泰国和越南进口的太阳能电池正在倾销到美国市场，并获得了可反补贴的补贴”。调查指控，在这四个国家开展业务的中国太阳能公司正在接受中国的补贴。

不同公司和国家的反补贴税和反补贴税税率差异很大。例如，反补贴税税率从马来西亚韩华Q CELLS公司进口产品的14.64%到柬埔寨四家公司进口产品的3403.96%不等。据路透社报道，晶科能源马来西亚产品的反补贴税和反补贴税合计税率为41.56%，属于最低税率之一，而天合光能泰国产品的反补贴税税率则高达375.19%。

国际贸易委员会（ITC）是独立于美国商务部的联邦机构，该委员会必须在2025年6月2日之前就涉嫌倾销活动和补贴对美国产业造成的损害作出最终裁定。如果ITC确认美国商务部的裁定，将实施最终的反倾销关税和反补贴税率。

美国对中国太阳能电池征收关税的历史可以追溯到2012年，当时奥巴马政府对中国太阳能产品征收了约36%的关税。这导致美国从中国直接进口的产品急剧下降。为此，中国制造商试图通过将生产转移到不受关税影响的东南亚国家来规避这些关税。如果ITC最终确定新的关税，预计将严重阻碍中国企业进入美国市场。据美国国际贸易管理局 (ITA) 称，2023 年美国从柬埔寨、马来西亚、泰国和越南进口了价值 119 亿美元的太阳能电池。

2025 年 4 月 17 日：美国将对停靠美国港口的中国船舶征收费用

美国贸易代表办公室 (USTR) 宣布，将开始对停靠美国港口的中国船舶征收费用，以反击美国所谓的“中国为主导海事、物流和造船业而采取的不合理行为、政策和做法”。

这些费用标志着拜登政府时期加强美国造船业举措的延续。该决定与特朗普总统于 4 月 9 日签署的行政命令 (EO) 相一致，该命令宣布美国的政策是“振兴和重建国内海事产业和劳动力，以促进国家安全和经济繁荣”。

根据该行政命令，“美国建造的商用船舶不到全球总量的1%，而中华人民共和国（PRC）建造了约一半的船舶。”

根据这项政策，该行政命令指示美国贸易代表办公室“采取适当措施，执行与中国造船业相关的任何限制、费用、罚款或关税”。

这些费用是在拜登政府于一年前启动的一项301条款调查之后征收的。该调查审查了“中国长期以来试图在海事、物流和造船业占据主导地位的行为，列举了中国为实现这些目标而使用不公平、非市场化的政策和做法”。调查结果于2025年1月16日公布，结论是“中国瞄准海事、物流和造船业以谋求主导地位是不合理的”。

美国贸易代表办公室于3月24日至26日就调查结果提出的拟议行动举行了公开听证会。

这些费用将分两个阶段实施。

第一阶段将于4月17日起180天后开始。在此期间，费用为0美元。此后，以下费用将分阶段实施：

中国船舶所有人和运营商的费用：费用将根据每趟美国航次的净吨位（NT）计算，起价为50美元/NT，并在未来三年内逐步增加至140美元/NT。

中国建造船舶的运营商：收费将基于新台币或集装箱数量。对于抵港船舶，费用将从每新台币18美元提高到每新台币33美元。未来三年内，每个卸货集装箱的费用将从120美元提高到250美元。

外国建造汽车运输船的费用：为鼓励使用美国建造的汽车运输船，非美国建造船舶的运营商将被收取每集装箱当量单位(CEU) 150美元的费用。

第二阶段将于三年后开始：

为鼓励使用美国建造的液化天然气(LNG)船舶，美国将开始对外国船舶运输LNG实施有限的限制。这些限制将在22年内逐步增加。

随后可能会采取进一步的行动来限制中国造船业。该行政命令还呼吁美国贸易代表办公室探讨支持美国海运业的更多措施，包括可能对岸边起重机和其他货物装卸设备征收关税。美国贸易代表办公室目前正在就这些提案征求公众意见。

针对美国贸易代表办公室4月17日的声明，中国商务部（MOFCOM）表示，中方“强烈不满并坚决反对”该决定。商务部发言人在接受媒体采访时表示，此举是单边主义和保护主义的，是一种歧视性、非市场化的做法，违反了世贸组织规则，损害了中国企业的利益，扰乱了供应链，破坏了基于规则的国际贸易体系。发言人还指出，在听证会上，包括国际声音在内的大多数行业代表都反对该措施，但美方仍然“坚持单边行动，出台了相关限制措施”。

发言人还警告称，中方将密切关注事态发展，并“采取必要措施维护自身权益”，并提出了可能的反制措施。

2025年4月11日：美国对来自中国的智能手机、电脑及其他电子产品免征关税

特朗普于周五签署行政命令，豁免一系列电子产品及零部件的互惠关税，包括电脑（含组装所需的零部件）、智能手机、平板显示器、固态硬盘、电脑显示器、各类半导体和集成电路。该豁免自4月5日起追溯生效。

目前，美国唯一仍在生效的互惠关税是对中国商品征收的125%关税，这意味着该豁免适用于这些来自中国的产品。

虽然这些商品免征125%的互惠关税，但特朗普2月份对中国征收的20%关税仍将继续生效。此外，在拜登政府的领导下，美国对中国半导体征收50%的关税，该关税将于2025年生效。

特朗普还警告称，这项豁免并非永久性的，并表示即将启动的国家安全关税调查将重点关注半导体和电子产品供应链。

2025年4月11日：中国将对美商品的关税税率提高至125%，并表示将不再对美加征关税作出回应

中国国务院关税税则委员会周五宣布，将对美国进口商品的关税税率从84%进一步提高至125%，与特朗普4月9日对华实施的对等关税税率保持一致。新的关税税率将于4月12日生效。

该声明还再次指出，美国对华征收异常高额关税“严重违反国际贸易规则”，是“单边霸凌和胁迫”行为。

值得注意的是，该公告还表示，鉴于现行关税税率下，中国无法继续从美国进口商品，中方将不再对美方进一步加征关税做出回应。

然而，外交部发言人李健在周五的例行记者会上重申，如果美方继续升级贸易战，“中方将战斗到底”，并且“中方不愿打，但也不怕打”。他还呼吁在“平等、相互尊重、互惠互利”的基础上，通过对话谈判解决问题。

2025年4月10日：白宫澄清对华关税税率现为145%

白宫发言人周四向CNBC澄清，对华征收125%的对等关税税率是在4月2日之前对华征收20%关税的基础上额外加征的，最终关税税率将达到145%。

此外，CNBC记者发现，145%的关税是最低关税，这意味着它将在任何其他现有关税的基础上征收。这将包括特朗普第一任期内实施的301条款关税，以及拜登对电动汽车、太阳能电池板、半导体和其他产品征收的关税。

特朗普最初的行政命令是对包括中国在内的全球贸易伙伴征收互惠关税，

免除了部分商品的互惠关税，例如2月份实施的对钢铁和铝征收25%的关税。然而，实际上，这并不适用于中国，因为拜登政府已于2024年对来自中国的这些产品征收25%的关税。

2025年4月9日：中国承诺提供政策支持，助力应对贸易战影响

4月9日，中国国务院总理李强在与经济专家和企业家座谈会上强调，在中美贸易战升级带来的挑战下，加强第二季度及以后经济工作至关重要。

李强承诺采取更加积极有效的宏观经济政策，呼吁迅速落实现有措施，并及时出台新的定向刺激政策，以应对外部不确定性。他强调，要巩固国内经济周期，将扩大内需作为一项长期战略。

关键优先事项包括稳定就业、增加居民收入、促进服务消费以及努力实现消费品现代化。李克强还强调，要大力推进科技创新与产业创新融合，提升供给质量和响应速度。

为支持企业发展，李克强呼吁全面落实扶持政策，改进企业执法工作，并切实解决拖欠货款、融资成本高、融资难等长期存在的问题。他表示，目标是构建更完善的营商环境和政策支持体系，帮助企业克服发展挑战。

2025年4月9日：美国将最低限度关税进一步提高至120%

在周三签署的行政命令中，特朗普政府再次提高了对来自中国大陆和香港的最低限度包裹的关税和费用，该命令将对华互惠关税提高至125%。新的关税规定如下：

对包裹申报价值征收120%的从价关税（原为90%）；或

自5月1日起，每件商品的关税为100美元（原为75美元），自6月1日起升至200新加坡元（原为150美元）。

2025年4月9日：美国将对华关税进一步提高至125%，暂停对其他国家征收对等关税

周三，特朗普总统在Truth Social网站上发表文章，宣布对华关税将进一步提高至125%，立即生效。就在同一天，中国将对美商品的关税提高至84%，与美国此前于4月9日生效的关税税率持平。

在同一篇文章中，特朗普宣布暂停对所有其他国家征收对等关税90天，所有国家和地区的最低基准关税仍为10%。

虽然中国尚未宣布针对最新升级的贸易战的反制措施，但外交部发言人林坚在4月10日的例行新闻发布会上表示，“关税战和贸易战没有赢家”，并补充说“中国不想打，但也不怕打”。他还重申，如果美方继续升级贸易战，中方将“战斗到底”。

2025年4月9日：中国对美输美商品加征84%关税予以反制

中国财政部已将对美输美商品的关税税率从34%提高至84%，以反制美国对华加征104%关税。此次加征关税正值美国对华商品加征104%关税生效的同一天，与特朗普政府4月8日宣布的84%“对等”关税税率一致。

中国财政部在公告中称，特朗普的升级关税是“重重错误”，“严重侵犯了中国的合法权益，严重破坏了基于规则的多边贸易体制”。

新的关税税率将于4月10日生效。截至本文撰写时，美国尚未对中国最新的反制措施作出回应。

2025年4月9日：中国商务部将12家美国公司列入出口管制清单，并将6家公司列入不可靠实体清单

在特朗普对华商品加征104%关税的同一天，中国商务部将另外12家美国公司列入出口管制清单，并将6家公司列入不可靠实体清单。

4月4日，商务部将16家美国公司列入出口管制清单，并将11家公司列入不可靠实体清单（参见4月4日的条目）。

被列入出口管制清单的公司包括American Photonics、Novotech, Inc.、Echodyne和Firestorm Labs, Inc.，这些公司均生产具有潜在（或明确）军事用途的先进技术。商务部表示，将这些公司列入清单“是为了维护国家安全和利益，履行防扩散等国际义务”。

同时，被列入不可靠实体清单的六家公司包括Shield AI, Inc.、Sierra Nevada Corporation、Cyber

lux Corporation 和 Hudson Technologies Co. 六家公司中的四家已于4月4日被列入出口管制名单。

出口管制名单上的公司将无法从中国购买军民两用物品，而不可靠实体名单上的公司将被禁止从事与中国相关的进出口活动，并被禁止在中国进行新的投资。

2025年4月9日：特朗普将对华关税提高至104%，最低限度关税提高至90%

特朗普总统于周二签署行政命令，将对华互惠关税税率从34%提高至84%，最终税率达到104%。由于中国未能按照特朗普的要求在4月8日前取消对美国商品征收的34%关税，因此加征了50%的关税。 104%的关税以及对其他国家征收的互惠关税税率于4月9日星期三生效。

除了提高统一关税税率外，该行政命令还提高了“微量”包裹（价值低于800美元的个人消费小包裹）的税率和费用。4月2日，特朗普取消了对来自中国大陆和香港的包裹的“微量”豁免，这些包裹的关税最初被提高到其价值的30%或统一税率25美元（自6月1日起升至50美元）。自5月2日起，税率将如下：

90%的从价税（原为30%）；或

自5月2日起，每件邮件统一征收75美元的关税（原为25美元），自6月1日起升至每件邮件150美元（原为50美元）。

外交部发言人林坚周二在例行新闻发布会上表示，“中方强烈谴责并拒绝”美方提出的额外50%关税建议，并称美方此举是在进行“经济霸凌”。他还表示，如果美方“执意打关税和贸易战，中方将坚决反击到底”。

2025年4月8日：特朗普威胁对华加征50%关税，口水战升级

中国政府已就唐纳德·特朗普进一步提高中国商品关税的威胁进行反击。

周一，特朗普在“真相社交”（Truth Social）网站上发表文章，威胁称，如果中国不撤销为报复特朗普对华加征关税而宣布的34%关税，中方将对中国商品加征50%的关税。加征50%的关税将于4月9日起实施，最终对华加征关税税率将达到104%。

中国商务部发言人周二上午在其官方网站上发布消息称，中方“坚决反对”美方威胁加征50%关税，如果美方一意孤行，“中方将坚决采取反制措施，维护自身权益”。发言人还称，美方的威胁是“错上加错”，是对中国的“讹诈”，并表示中方将“坚决斗争到底”。同时，发言人也呼吁美方“在相互尊重的基础上，通过平等对话妥善解决与中方的分歧”。

2025年4月4日：特朗普签署行政令，推迟实施TikTok禁令

特朗普周五签署了第二项行政令，将TikTok禁令的实施期限再推迟75天，比禁令生效日期提前了一天。这是特朗普签署的第二项行政命令，旨在推迟TikTok撤资法案规定的“禁止或出售”期限。该法案于2024年4月由前总统乔·拜登签署成为法律。

据报道，TikTok的所有者字节跳动即将与特朗普政府达成协议，按照该法案的要求出售TikTok的美国部分。然而，由于4月2日宣布对中国商品加征34%的互惠关税，这项交易泡汤了。

现在看来，中国政府很可能会试图利用出售TikTok作为与美国进行任何潜在贸易谈判的筹码。

2024年4月4日：中国市场监管总局对杜邦公司启动反垄断调查

中国国家市场监管总局（SAMR）在其网站上发布简短声明，宣布已对美国化工巨头杜邦公司在中国的子公司杜邦中国集团有限公司展开反垄断调查，原因是该公司涉嫌违反中国《反垄断法》。尽管SAMR并未提供任何关于对杜邦公司展开调查的依据，但根据美国证券交易委员会（SEC）网站上发布的通知，此次调查与杜邦公司的Tyvek业务有关。Tyvek是一种注册商标的合成聚乙烯材料，广泛应用于各种民用和军用领域。

据中国媒体报道，杜邦公司一直垄断着这种材料，并试图利用诉讼手段压制那些开发出类似性能新技术的中国小型企业。

此次调查的宣布很可能是为了回应特朗普4月2日对中国加征34%的关税。继特朗普2月初对中国加征10%的关税后，国家市场监督管理总局对谷歌公司涉嫌违反《反垄断法》展开调查。

2025年4月4日：中国将对所有美国商品加征34%的关税，并对美国企业实施出口限制和制裁

中国国务院关税税则委员会周五发布公告，宣布对所有从美国进口的商品加征34%的关税。所有现行的保税和减免税政策均保持不变。

新关税将于2025年4月10日起生效。但是，4月10日之前发货并在4月10日至5月13日期间抵达中国的货物将不适用新税率。

这一税率与特朗普政府4月2日对中国征收的34%关税完全一致。然而，对中国征收的这一税率是在特朗普此前征收的20%关税基础上额外征收的，这意味着4月9日对等关税生效时，对中国的最终关税税率将达到54%。

中国对美国商品征收的34%的税率也将高于其他适用商品的现有关税。

同日，中国商务部和海关总署对七种稀土元素实施出口限制，包括钐、钆、铽、镝、镥、钪和钇的各种衍生物。商务部发言人表示，这些物项具有“军民两用属性”，出口管制旨在“更好地维护国家安全和利益，履行防扩散等国际义务”。

商务部还将16家美国公司列入“出口管制清单”，将11家美国公司列入“不可靠实体清单”。

此举的明确动机是“维护国家安全和利益，履行防扩散等国际义务”。被列入出口管制清单的公司大多为国防企业，包括High Point Aerotechnologies、Sierra Nevada Corporation、Hudson Technologies Co.和Cyberlux Corporation。被列入不可靠实体清单的公司包括Skydio Inc.、BRINC Drones, Inc.和Red Six Solutions。商务部发言人表示，这些公司“不顾中方强烈反对，与台湾开展所谓的军事技术合作，严重损害中国国家主权、安全和发展利益”。

被列入出口管制清单的公司将被禁止从中国采购部分商品和产品。同时，被列入不可靠实体名单的公司被禁止从事与中国相关的进出口活动，并且不得在中国进行任何新的投资。

2025年4月2日：特朗普重启对中国包裹的最低限度豁免，自5月2日起生效

周三，就在美国对中国进口商品的关税税率提高至54%的同一天，唐纳德·特朗普总统签署了一项行政命令，再次终止对来自中国大陆和香港的包裹的最低限度豁免。

最低限度豁免允许低价值包裹（价值低于800美元）免关税或免检查进入美国。据分析人士称，2024年，每天约有400万个包裹根据这项豁免进入美国，其中许多来自中国电商公司。

特朗普此前曾试图在2月1日的关税方案中撤销这项豁免，但在一周内又撤销了这一决定。 2月7日，由于美国物流中心和海关仓库出现混乱，白宫发布了一项修正案，推迟了这一变化。美国邮政局此前也曾暂停接收来自中国大陆和香港的国际包裹，但很快改变了主意。

最新的行政命令声称，目前已建立“完善的体系”来评估和征收入境包裹的关税。因此，美国将从2025年5月2日起对来自中国大陆和香港的小额包裹征收关税。

特朗普政府辩解称，中国托运人利用“最低限度”渠道进行欺骗性运输，以此为这一举措辩护。该行政命令指出，一些中国出口商“隐藏非法物质并掩盖包裹的真实内容”，利用“最低限度”处理相关的有限筛查来逃避检测。白宫将此与对芬太尼贩运的更广泛担忧联系起来，并声称芬太尼贩运部分是通过这些小包裹进行的。

根据新规，来自中国大陆和香港的包裹将征收以下关税：

邮件申报价值的30%将作为从价税。

具体

关税：

2025年5月2日至5月31日期间，每件商品25美元

2025年6月1日起，每件商品50美元

该行政命令指示商务部长评估该行政命令对美国消费者和企业的潜在影响，并就是否应将豁免期延长至澳门提出建议，以“防止规避该行政命令”。

预计豁免期的终止将对Shein、Temu和亚马逊等在线零售商以及依赖低成本中国进口产品的美国小型企业产生广泛影响。分析人士警告称，该决定还将影响数百万美国消费者，因为积压的货物和新的检查程序会导致价格上涨，并造成海关延误。

2025年4月2日——特朗普全面征收关税，将中国进口关税提高至54%

2025年4月2日，唐纳德·特朗普总统宣布全面改革美国贸易政策，对来自多个国家的进口产品征收高额关税。这项名为“解放日”的举措旨在解决贸易失衡问题，并促进国内产业发展。

主要亮点包括：

普遍关税：所有进入美国的进口产品将征收10%的基准关税。

针对中国的产品征收特定关税：中国进口产品将在现有20%的关税基础上额外征收34%的关税，最终总关税税率达到54%。

对其他国家征收关税：越南、泰国、柬埔寨、欧盟和日本将分别征收46%、36%、49%、20%和24%的新关税。

特定行业关税：将对外国汽车、汽车零部件、钢铁和铝加征25%的关税。

10%的统一进口关税将于2025年4月5日生效。针对特定国家的额外“互惠”关税将于2025年4月9日生效。对外国汽车、汽车零部件、钢铁和铝加征25%的关税将于2025年4月3日午夜生效。

该声明引发全球金融市场剧烈波动。分析人士对潜在的通胀压力和国际贸易中断表示担忧。支持者认为这些措施将振兴美国制造业并减少对外国商品的依赖，但批评者警告称，贸易紧张局势将升级，受影响国家可能采取报复行动。随着形势发展，建议各界利益相关者密切关注政策变化，并评估其对国际贸易和经济稳定的潜在影响。

2025年3月26日——美国贸易代表杰米森·格里尔与中国国务院副总理何立峰举行视频通话

3月26日，美国贸易代表杰米森·格里尔与中国国务院副总理何立峰举行视频通话，讨论中美经贸关系。根据美国贸易代表办公室（USTR）的通报，格里尔强调特朗普总统致力于重振贸易政策，以加强国内产业，维护国家安全，并确保美国工人的公平竞争。他还对美国认为不公平且反竞争的中国贸易行为表示担忧。

同时，根据中国国务院的通报，何立峰副总理表达了中方对美国加征关税的担忧，特别是与芬太尼相关问题和301调查相关的关税。他敦促美方通过平等磋商解决贸易争端。双方一致认为，保持稳定的经济关系符合双方共同利益。

此次会晤是在特朗普对中国商品加征20%关税的背景下举行的，这仍然是双边贸易谈判的关键议题。据报道，特朗普暗示他可能考虑降低对华关税，以换取就TikTok达成协议。TikTok即将在4月5日的最后期限前出售，否则美国可能对其实施禁令。

2025年3月25日——美国商务部将50多家中国实体列入实体清单

美国商务部下属的工业和安全局（BIS）将来自多个国家的80家实体列入清单，其中50多家来自中国。新闻稿称，将这些公司列入清单的目的是限制中国获取和开发用于军事用途的高性能和百亿亿次计算能力以及量子技术，并阻碍中国发展高超音速武器。

这些实体尤其包括中国云计算和大数据服务提供商浪潮集团的六家子公司，其中包括浪潮在台湾的子公司（浪潮台湾）。这些实体被列入名单是因为“它们为浪潮军用超级计算机的开发做出了贡献，特别是通过收购或试图收购美国原产的物项，以支持中国政府和/或军方的超级计算机项目”。

ry”。

浪潮集团于2023年被列入实体名单。

其他被列入名单的实体包括北京人工智能研究院（一家非营利性人工智能研究实验室）、Nettrix信息产业（一家服务器制造商和IT系统提供商）以及速码科技。

被列入实体名单的公司将受到出口限制，美国公司将无法在没有许可证的情况下与这些实体开展业务。

外交部发言人郭家坤在周二的例行新闻发布会上称，美国的最新行动“是对[美国]实体名单和其他出口管制措施的滥用”，违反了国际法。他还重申“中方将采取必要措施，坚决维护中国企业的合法权益”，并暗示可能采取报复措施。

2025年3月23日：李强总理会见美国参议员史蒂夫·戴恩斯

中国国务院总理李强在北京会见了共和党参议员史蒂夫·戴恩斯以及一群美国企业高管，这是年度中国峰会的一部分。发展论坛。

根据会谈纪要，李克强敦促中美加强沟通，并表示“双方应该选择对话而不是对抗，选择合作共赢而不是零和博弈”。

他还强调了贸易在双边关系中的重要性，并警告说：“双边关系越是面临困难，维护和发展中美经贸合作就越重要。”

这是特朗普今年1月就任以来，中美官员首次会晤，正值贸易战不断升级，美国已对来自中国的商品加征20%的关税。

在上届特朗普政府时期，戴恩斯在中美第一阶段贸易协定谈判中发挥了重要作用，尤其是在维护农业利益方面。

在例行记者会上，当被问及戴恩斯此行是否预示着特朗普和习近平可能举行会晤时，外交部发言人毛宁表示：“我们……欢迎包括美国国会议员在内的各界人士访华。”

2025年3月20日：美国国务院和财政部长对中国一家石油码头和炼油厂实施制裁

美国国务院周四对位于广东的华英惠州大亚湾石化码头实施制裁，原因是该码头涉嫌“从一艘受制裁的船只上购买并储存伊朗原油”。与此同时，美国财政部（简称“财政部”）同时对位于山东的寿光鲁清石油化工有限公司炼油厂实施制裁，原因是该炼油厂“购买并炼制了价值数亿美元的伊朗原油”。

此外，美国财政部还对12家实体和1名个人实施了制裁，并将8艘船只列为冻结财产（受制裁实体拥有的财产），据称这些船只是伊朗所谓的“影子船队”的一部分，该船队“向中国运送数百万桶伊朗石油”。

这些制裁旨在终止伊朗的石油出口。美国声称，伊朗石油出口收入正在资助伊朗对美国盟友的袭击，并帮助资助美国指定的恐怖组织。

外交部发言人毛宁在周五的例行新闻发布会上称，此举是“滥用非法单边制裁和长臂管辖”，并呼吁美国停止“干扰中伊正常经贸合作”。她还警告称，中国将“采取一切必要措施，坚决维护我国企业的合法权益”。

2025年3月4日：中国对美国农产品加征关税，反击特朗普的关税

中国外交部在特朗普将中国输美产品关税提高至20%的第二天，财政部宣布对美国关键农产品采取一系列反制措施。

对美国商品加征的关税如下：

对鸡肉、小麦、玉米和棉花征收15%的关税。

对高粱、大豆、猪肉、牛肉、水产品、水果、蔬菜和乳制品征收10%的关税。

财政部公告指出：“美方单方面加征关税，破坏多边贸易体制，增加美国企业和消费者负担，损害中美经贸合作基础。”

关税将于3月10日生效。

中国商务部在另一份公告中表示，中方已根据世贸组织争端解决机制就美国最新一轮关税上调提起诉讼，称其违反了世贸组织规则，“破坏了中美经贸合作的基础”。

针对美国农产品的行动是经过深思熟虑的。中国是全球最大的农产品进口国之一，也是美国大豆、玉米和高粱的主要买家。农产品是中美达成的贸易协议的核心组成部分。

2019年，中国与特朗普政府达成协议，承诺在两年内从美国购买约2000亿美元的农产品。

美国的农产品生产商也主要位于美国共和党州，这意味着关税将对特朗普的核心选民群体造成最严重的打击。

2025年3月3日：特朗普将对中国商品的关税提高至20%，将于3月4日生效

特朗普政府已于周一签署行政命令，正式将对中国进口商品的关税税率从10%提高至20%。该行政命令指出，由于中国“尚未采取充分措施通过合作执法行动缓解非法毒品危机”，因此有必要提高最初于2月4日实施的10%关税。

新的关税税率将于3月4日生效，与此前推迟的对加拿大和墨西哥征收的25%关税生效的同一天。

官方通讯社《人民日报》的姊妹报《环球时报》周一报道称，中国正考虑对美国农产品加征反制关税。

2025年2月27日：特朗普威胁对中国商品加征10%关税

特朗普总统在其社交媒体平台“真相社交”（Truth Social）上发布帖子宣布，将从3月4日起对中国进口商品加征10%的关税，届时对墨西哥和加拿大商品加征的25%关税也将生效。特朗普在帖子中声称，从墨西哥和加拿大进入美国的芬太尼是由中国生产和供应的，暗示这是加征关税的原因。

特朗普已于2月初对所有中国商品加征10%的关税，这意味着实际关税税率将升至20%。

他还表示，2月13日宣布的对各国商品加征关税的措施将于4月2日生效。

中国外交部发言人林坚在2月28日的例行记者会上表示，“芬太尼问题只是美方对华加征关税、施压讹诈的借口”，“芬太尼问题是美方自己的问题”。

与此同时，商务部发言人表示：“中方将采取一切必要措施坚决反制，坚决捍卫自身合法权益”。

2025年2月21日——特朗普签署备忘录，以国家安全为由限制中国对美投资

周五，特朗普签署了一份国家安全总统备忘录（NSPM），指示美国外国投资委员会（CFIUS）限制与中国相关的投资者在美国投资科技、关键基础设施、医疗保健、农业、能源、原材料和其他战略领域。

该备忘录声称，包括中国在内的外国对手“系统性地引导和协助对美国公司和资产的投资，以获取尖端技术、知识产权和战略产业的影响力”。

该备忘录还呼吁制定新规则，以遏制美国对“推进中华人民共和国国家军民融合战略”的中国产业的投资，并阻止与中华人民共和国有关联的个人收购关键的美国企业和资产。

除了限制对战略产业的投资外，该备忘录还呼吁限制购买敏感设施附近的农田和房地产。根据白宫的一份情况说明书，美国约有2%的农业用地归外国实体和个人所有，而中国拥有超过35万英亩的农田。

中国商务部在其网站上发布声明，呼吁美国“停止将经贸问题政治化、武器化”，并警告称，更严格的投资规则将削弱中国企业对美国市场的信心，并导致美国企业向中国的主要竞争对手让步。

2025年2月13日——特朗普签署对所有贸易伙伴征收互惠关税的计划

特朗普周四签署了一份备忘录，指示主要部长实施一项对所有贸易伙伴征收互惠关税的计划。

这项“公平互惠计划”将审查与所有贸易伙伴的非互惠贸易关系，包括对美国产品征收关税，对美国企业、工人和消费者征收不公平、歧视性或域外税收（包括增值税），非关税壁垒或措施，包括补贴和监管要求，以及导致汇率偏离其市场价值的政策和做法。

美国贸易伙伴未对美国商品征收互惠关税的例子在一份情况说明书中已有提及，例如欧盟对美国进口汽车征收10%的关税，而美国对欧洲进口汽车征收2.5%的关税。如果该计划按计划实施，从欧盟进口的汽车关税将升至10%。

特朗普征收的关税

对钢铁和铝等产品征收的关税，以及对中国商品征收的10%的关税，都将是在互惠关税之外的额外措施。

此次互惠行动针对的关税和贸易壁垒种类繁多，这意味着对中国商品征收的进一步关税可能非常广泛。美国过去曾指责中国不公平地补贴各种商品的生产，损害了其国内产业的利益，而中国也对大多数商品和服务征收6%至13%的增值税。

今年1月，美国贸易代表公布了对中国船舶补贴的调查结果，结论是中国“瞄准主导地位的行为通过削弱美国海事、物流和造船业的商业机会和投资，给美国商业造成了负担或限制”。该报告进一步指出，“采取应对措施是适当的”。

作为对特朗普行动的回应，美国的主要贸易伙伴，例如欧盟，也可能会对美国商品采取反制措施。

2025年2月10日——特朗普称已与习近平通话

特朗普周一接受福克斯新闻采访时表示，自1月20日就职以来，他已与中国国家主席习近平及其团队进行了通话，但未透露通话时间及内容。

特朗普补充说，他“很高兴与习近平交谈”，并表示双方“私人关系非常好”。

中方尚未确认此次通话是否发生或何时进行，两位领导人最后一次确认的通话是在1月17日。

白宫发言人上周表示，特朗普将在几天内与习近平通话，但目前尚未公布会谈进展。

2025年2月10日——特朗普宣布对钢铁和铝进口征收25%的关税

周一，特朗普总统签署了一项公告，宣布对所有进口至美国的钢铁产品征收25%的从价关税，并将铝进口关税从10%提高至25%。该关税将“无一例外”适用于所有国家和地区的进口产品，并将于3月12日生效。

公告称，特朗普于2018年对钢铁征收的25%关税有效降低了美国对进口的依赖，并增加了国内供应的消费。然而，公告声称，特朗普和拜登政府期间与多个国家和实体谈判达成的各种豁免和替代协议，已导致进口钢铁占美国消费的比例与首次征收关税之前的水平相当。此外，该公告还指出，全球存在“产能过剩危机”，近年来中国钢铁出口的增加“正在取代其他国家的生产，迫使它们向美国出口更多钢铁制品及其衍生产品”。

因此，美国将终止与各贸易伙伴和实体达成的所有协议和豁免，并对所有进口钢铁恢复25%的关税。

中国直接向美国出口的钢铁数量很少，到2024年仅占中国钢铁出口总额的0.8%。然而，据投资者网报道，2024年，中国向越南和加拿大等美国主要钢铁进口来源国出口的钢铁占中国钢铁出口总额的25.22%。由于该关税在全球范围内生效，它将间接影响中国通过这些第三国向美国转口的钢铁，从而显著影响中国的全球钢铁出口。

2025年2月9日——特朗普宣布计划对所有贸易伙伴征收25%的钢铁和铝关税

周日，特朗普在空军一号上对记者发表讲话，宣布将对美国进口钢铁和铝征收25%的额外关税。据报道，这项新关税将于周一正式宣布并生效，并将加征所有现有关税。

2024年9月，拜登政府将中国钢铁和铝产品进口关税提高至25%。

近年来，中国对美钢铁和铝出口量有所下降，仅占中国整体出口的一小部分。

除了钢铁和铝关税外，特朗普表示，他将于周二或周三宣布全球互惠关税，并立即生效。

2025年2月7日——特朗普暂停终止最低限度例外的行政命令

特朗普政府周五发布了一项行政命令修正案，推迟了最低限度例外的终止时间。此前，该例外于2月4日突然实施，导致美国物流中心和海关仓库陷入混乱。据估计，2024年每天有400万个包裹根据最低限度例外进入美国，该例外允许价值低于800美元的包裹免于海关检查和关税。

ies。

该修正案规定，符合条件的包裹将享受免税最低限度待遇，直至“建立起足够的系统，能够全面、迅速地处理和收取关税收入”。

2月4日，美国邮政局也宣布暂停接收来自中国大陆和香港的国际包裹，但第二天又撤销了这一决定。

2024年2月4日——美国邮政局暂停所有来自中国大陆和香港的包裹

美国邮政局周二在其网站上发布通知，宣布将暂停接收来自中国大陆和香港的国际包裹，“直至另行通知”，该决定自当天起生效。信件和“扁平邮件”（大信封、新闻通讯和杂志）不受影响。

2月1日，特朗普签署了一项行政命令，除其他措施外，该命令暂停了允许价值低于800美元的包裹在进入美国时绕过海关检查和关税的最低限度豁免政策。暂停豁免的理由是为了防止芬太尼和化学前体通过这类小包裹进入美国。

暂停中国包裹将严重影响Shein、Temu和亚马逊等在线零售商，以及无数小型零售企业，这些企业的商业模式很大程度上依赖于利用这一漏洞。此外，这还将对美国消费者产生直接影响，因为数百万已发货的包裹将被滞留在海关，滞留时间不确定。一位分析师告诉路透社，2024年，每天将有400万个“最低限度”包裹抵达美国。

2024年2月4日——中国对美国进口商品加征关税，并对稀土实施出口管制，以报复特朗普的关税上调

特朗普政府对中国进口商品加征10%的关税生效后不久，中国海关关税委员会宣布对原产于美国的商品征收一系列报复性关税。

这些措施包括：

对煤炭和液化天然气征收15%的关税；

对原油、农业机械、大排量轿车和皮卡征收10%的关税。

此外，还将在现行适用税率的基础上加征相应的关税。原有的保税和减免税政策保持不变，加征的关税不予减免。这些关税将于2月10日生效。

除提高关税外，中国商务部和海关总署还宣布对25种稀土金属实施出口管制，理由是“出于维护国家安全和利益，履行防扩散等国际义务”的需要。

受出口管制的商品包括钨、碲、铋和钼的各种衍生物，这些材料是电子、航空航天和可再生能源等行业的关键材料。

虽然该声明并未明确将出口管制与美国关税联系起来，但中国作为最大的稀土金属生产国之一，使得这些产品在潜在的贸易战背景下成为重要的谈判筹码。特朗普在就职第一天签署的行政命令中呼吁“恢复美国的矿产主导地位”，其中包括扩大美国境内的采矿用地。他还努力扩大海外关键矿产的获取渠道，包括威胁吞并格陵兰岛，以及最近要求乌克兰以军事援助换取稀土资源。

此外，特朗普政府对加拿大和墨西哥征收了25%的关税，但经过谈判后，这两国均将实施时间推迟了30天。然而，中美之间尚未达成此类协议。据路透社报道，白宫新闻秘书卡罗琳·莱维特表示，特朗普预计将“在未来几天”与习近平主席通话。

2024年2月4日——中国宣布对谷歌展开反垄断调查，并将两家美国公司列入不可靠实体清单

周二，中国国家市场监督管理总局（SAMR）宣布，已对谷歌因涉嫌违反中国《反垄断法》展开调查。该声明发布在其网站上，并未提供涉嫌违规的具体细节。此消息发布于美国对中国进口产品加征10%关税生效后仅一分钟。

尽管谷歌的搜索引擎自2011年以来就已停止在中国运营，其Gmail服务也于2014年终止，但部分谷歌服务和产品，例如谷歌Chrome浏览器，仍然在中国可用。

在谷歌反垄断调查宣布的同时，中国商务部宣布将两家美国大公司列入不可靠实体名单：生物科技巨头 Illumina 公司和时尚集团 PVH 集团（Calvin Klein 和 Tomm 的母公司）。

希尔费格。

商务部表示，这两家公司“违反正常的市场交易原则，干扰与中国企业的正常交易，对中国企业采取歧视性措施，严重损害中国企业的合法权益”。

被列入不可靠实体清单将使这些公司面临一系列潜在处罚，包括进出口限制、投资限制、限制或禁止公司人员入境、吊销外籍员工的工作、停留或居留许可，以及罚款。

近年来，Illumina 不断扩大其在华业务，并于2022年在上海建立了首个生产基地。与此同时，PVH 集团在中国市场也实现了强劲增长，其2023年业绩回顾中，以人民币计算的收入同比增长了20%。

2025年2月1日——特朗普签署行政命令，对中国进口商品加征10%关税

特朗普总统签署了一项行政命令，对进入美国的中国商品加征10%的关税，表面上是为了遏制芬太尼和其他非法物质的进口。加拿大和墨西哥也分别以同样的理由被加征25%的关税。白宫的一份情况说明书称，这些额外关税将持续征收，“直至[非法毒品]危机得到缓解”。

该情况说明书还指责中国“未能采取必要措施，阻止前体化学品流入已知的犯罪集团，并打击跨国犯罪组织的洗钱活动”。

在拜登政府执政期间，中美加强合作，以应对芬太尼及其前体化学品从中国向美国出口的问题，并于2024年1月成立了中美禁毒工作组。该倡议是中美在多年外交僵局后就一系列问题恢复合作的关键部分，当时被视为拜登政府的轻松胜利。2024年4月，时任美国财政部长珍妮特·耶伦宣布启动美国财政部与中国人民银行反洗钱联合合作与交流机制。目前尚不清楚这些努力是否会在特朗普执政期间继续下去。

除了关税外，行政命令还宣布停止“最低限度豁免”，该豁免规定价值低于800美元的包裹免于海关检查和关税。特朗普政府将芬太尼及其前体化学品的非法进口归咎于低于这一门槛的小包裹。

暂停最低限度豁免可能会对 Shein 和 Temu 等中国电商巨头造成重大影响，这些公司在美国拥有庞大的客户群。他们的商业模式严重依赖这一漏洞，将低价值包裹直接从中国制造商运送到美国消费者手中。

该关税将于美国东部时间 2 月 4 日星期二 00:01（中国标准时间 13:01）生效。

针对此次关税，中国外交部发言人表示，中方将“采取必要反制措施，捍卫自身合法权益”，并称此举违反了世贸组织规则。中国商务部也表示将向世贸组织提起诉讼，并威胁将采取反制措施“维护自身权益”。

2025年1月22日——特朗普威胁自2月1日起对中国芬太尼产品征收10%关税

2025年1月22日，美国总统唐纳德·特朗普在白宫的一次活动中宣布，计划最早于2月1日起对中国进口产品征收10%的关税，理由是担心芬太尼的运输。他指责中国向墨西哥和加拿大出口芬太尼，并声称这些芬太尼随后被贩运到美国。对此，中国外交部发言人毛宁在例行新闻发布会上表示，中方坚决反对贸易战和关税措施，并强调“贸易战没有赢家，中方将坚决维护国家利益”。

2025年1月20日——特朗普第二任期伊始，重点关注美中贸易关系

唐纳德·特朗普总统在其第二任期伊始发布了一项广泛的贸易政策指令，优先考虑对美国的贸易关系进行系统性审查，其中重点关注中国。尽管特朗普政府没有宣布立即加征关税，但表示有意评估北京方面对2020年贸易协定的遵守情况，并解决贸易失衡问题。

主要进展包括：

贸易备忘录公告：该备忘录于特朗普就职后不久发布，指示联邦机构审查主要贸易伙伴的贸易逆差和不公平做法，中国是重点关注对象。

2020年贸易协定正在审查中：特朗普的指令包括评估中国对2020年贸易协定的遵守情况，该协定要求北京方面每年增加2000亿美元的美国商品采购——这一承诺在很大程度上

由于疫情，目标未能实现。

避免立即征收关税：与竞选时承诺对中国进口产品征收高额关税的言论相反，美国政府似乎正在采取更具战略性的方法。分析人士认为，这可能会在短期内稳定金融市场。

预计实施全球关税：贸易专家认为，特朗普仍致力于将全球关税作为其经济议程的一部分。预计美国政府将援引232条款或301条款等法律，采取未来的贸易行动。特朗普在关税问题上采取的审慎态度表明，谈判可能存在机会，但美国政府更广泛的目标——例如敦促中国履行贸易承诺——可能会导致新的紧张局势。该指令强化了美国政府追究中国不公平行为责任的意图，保持与特朗普第一任期贸易战略一致的施压力度。

特朗普第二任期的审慎开局反映出其政府继续致力于重塑美中贸易关系，这预示着双边关系未来将面临挑战。

2025年1月20日——特朗普签署行政命令，将TikTok禁令推迟75天

2025年1月20日，前总统唐纳德·特朗普签署了一项行政命令，将TikTok禁令的执行时间再推迟75天。

根据该行政命令的条款，美国司法部将暂停执行《外国对手控制应用程序法案》。该法案在国会两党广泛支持下获得通过，并于2024年4月由前总统乔·拜登签署成为法律。该法案要求TikTok要么将其美国业务出售给美国或其盟友的买家，要么面临禁令，禁令将于2025年1月19日生效。

特朗普就职前曾在社交媒体上承诺将采取行政措施，阻止该法案生效。在特朗普宣布这一消息后，TikTok恢复了现有用户的访问权限，此前该应用从周六晚到周日下午已下线超过12个小时。

TikTok 在 75 天的延期后是否能继续在美国运营尚不清楚。然而，此次延期至少为 TikTok 的中国母公司字节跳动提供了更多时间来为该平台找到潜在买家。

2025 年 1 月 20 日——特朗普就收回巴拿马运河发表评论，并提及太空探索的“昭昭天命”

2025 年 1 月 20 日，新上任的总统唐纳德·特朗普表示，美国将收回巴拿马运河的控制权。在就职演说中，特朗普重申了他的指控，即巴拿马违背了 1999 年运河移交时做出的承诺，并涉嫌允许中国对其运营施加影响。他表示：“我们没有把它交给中国。我们把它交给了巴拿马，现在我们要把它收回来。”虽然特朗普没有具体说明美国将何时或如何实现这一目标，但他此前曾暗示可能采取军事行动，这一言论引起了支持者和批评者的关注。

特朗普关于巴拿马运河的言论，是其关于美国领土扩张观点的更广泛讨论的一部分。他援引了“昭昭天命”的概念，该概念在历史上与19世纪美国领土扩张联系在一起，并将其与未来的太空探索目标联系起来，并特别指出美国最终的目标是将宇航员登陆火星。一些批评人士担心，这种言论可能会鼓励俄罗斯和中国等其他国家在各自的地缘政治形势下采取更为强硬的行动。另一些人则猜测，特朗普的言论可能是为了在谈判中占据强势地位而采取的战略举措。

特朗普在讲话中还重申了将墨西哥湾更名为美国湾的计划，并对巴拿马运河的转让表示不满，称其为“愚蠢的礼物”。特朗普政府的批评主要基于对巴拿马不公平待遇的指控，尤其是在航运成本方面。尽管巴拿马否认存在任何不公平做法，并强调所有船只，包括来自中国的船只，都受到平等对待。虽然中国并不控制这条运河，但总部位于香港的长江和记实业旗下的一家子公司管理着该运河加勒比海和太平洋入口附近的两个港口，这一直是中美关系中的一个争议点。

巴拿马运河是全球贸易和美国的重要水道，在亚洲货物运输和美国能源出口中发挥着关键作用。特朗普发表讲话后，巴拿马海事局宣布对管理运河附近港口的巴拿马港口公司进行审计。

2025年1月20日——埃隆·马斯克与中国国家副主席在特朗普第二任期就职典礼前夕举行会晤

在唐纳德·特朗普第二任期就职典礼前夕，特斯拉首席执行官埃隆·马斯克在华盛顿特区与中国国家副主席韩正举行会晤，这引发了人们对马斯克在塑造中美关系中所扮演角色的新一轮猜测。据中国国家主席习近平称，马斯克将与中国国家副主席韩正举行会晤，以推动两国关系发展。

韩正邀请包括特斯拉在内的美国企业深化在华投资，加强经济联系。据报道，马斯克重申了特斯拉致力于扩大与中国合作的承诺。中国市场至关重要，贡献了特斯拉近四分之一的营收，其最具生产力的制造中心也位于上海。

此次会晤恰逢中国与美国商界领袖的广泛会谈，表明中国有意在维持经济伙伴关系的同时稳定中美关系。马斯克的商业利益与中国息息相关，他被认为是特朗普政府与中国政府之间的潜在中间人。目前，双方在贸易和技术方面的紧张关系尚未解决，包括围绕马斯克可能参与TikTok合资企业的猜测。

在特朗普准备重新调整贸易政策之际，此次会晤凸显了商业外交与地缘政治在中美关系中的关键交汇。

关于我们

《中国简报》是《亚洲简报》五份区域性出版物之一，由德赞·施拉律师事务所支持。如需免费订阅《中国简报》的内容产品，请点击此处。

US-China Relations in the Trump 2.0 Era: A Timeline

July 18, 2025 Posted by China Briefing

https://www.china-briefing.com/news/us-china-relations-in-the-trump-2-0-implications/

 

This timeline was created on January 21, 2025, and was last updated on July 18, 2025.

On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. His return to the White House signals a shift in US-China relations. Building on the aggressive stance of his first term, Trump 2.0 is expected to challenge China with a more transactional and unpredictable approach. The economic, security, and diplomatic consequences of his policies will not only reshape US-China ties but also influence the broader global geopolitical landscape.

Trump is expected to intensify the trade confrontations that defined his first administration, potentially escalating tariffs and sanctioning Chinese companies in an effort to achieve greater economic self-sufficiency. However, his focus on America’s immediate interests may leave little room for long-term strategic alliances, making his policy more difficult to predict. As Trump looks to navigate his second term amid a tumultuous political backdrop, China will need to adapt quickly to a US president who is more focused on leveraging short-term victories than on pursuing traditional diplomatic strategies.

This timeline will track the key developments in US-China relations under Trump 2.0, examining the potential consequences for China’s economy and other key aspects, while offering insights into the strategies that both Washington and Beijing will adopt in the face of a renewed geopolitical rivalry.

Previously, China Briefing tracked and documented the US-China trade war in the Trump era and the evolution of US-China relations in the Biden Era.

DOING BUSINESS IN CHINAEXPLORE IN-DEPTH INVESTMENT AND BUSINESS GUIDES.

Explore vital economic, geographic, and regulatory insights for business investors, managers, or expats to navigate China’s business landscape. Our Online Business Guides offer explainer articles, news, useful tools, and videos from on-the-ground advisors who contribute to the Doing Business in China knowledge.Start exploring

US-China relations in the Trump 2.0 era

July 18, 2025: US-China relations show signs of thaw as Trump signals softer stance

Recent developments suggest a potential easing in US-China trade tensions, as President Donald Trump adopts a more conciliatory tone toward Beijing ahead of a possible in-person meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to a Bloomberg report published Wednesday, Trump is now prioritizing quick purchase deals with China—similar to those reached during his first term—over deeper structural changes aimed at correcting trade imbalances. In internal meetings, Trump has reportedly been “the least hawkish voice in the room,” signaling a shift in strategy aimed at securing tangible wins and a renewed trade agreement.

Sources also indicated that the United States may extend its current tariff truce with China—originally set to expire on August 12—by an additional three months. This follows a series of softer moves by the Trump administration in recent weeks, including lifting restrictions on Chinese access to US electronic design automation (EDA) software and allowing Nvidia to resume exports of its H20 AI chips to China.

Trump also recently praised China for making “big steps” on addressing the US fentanyl crisis—marking a notable shift in tone. Earlier this year, China’s alleged role in fentanyl exports was cited as a key justification for sweeping 20 percent tariffs on Chinese goods.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also eased concerns, telling business leaders not to worry about the upcoming August 12 deadline. Instead, Bessent described US-China talks as being in a “very good place” and expressed hope for a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in the near future.

With both sides dialing back economic pressure and signaling willingness to cooperate, there’s cautious optimism that US-China relations could stabilize—especially if momentum builds ahead of Trump’s rumored visit to China.

July 10, 2025: Trump announces 50% tariff on copper imports

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump announced that he will impose a 50 percent tariff on all imports of copper, effective August 1, in an effort to “once again, build a DOMINANT Copper Industry”.

No official information has been released about the tariff as of writing, so it is not clear which copper articles will be subject to the tariff.

According to data from the US Census Bureau, the US imported around US$17.1 billion worth of copper and copper articles in 2024, of which under 3 percent came from China (US$484.2 million). The vast majority of the US’s copper imports came from Chile (35.7 percent) and Canada (23.3 percent).

China still dominates the global copper supply chain. In 2024, China produced 23 million tons of copper and 13.6 million tons of refined copper, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. China also exported a total of US$14 billion worth of copper and copper articles in 2024, per data from China Customs. China’s largest export markets for copper in 2024 were Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam, where it is used for the production of key products and technologies, including semiconductors, smartphones, batteries, and solar and wind energy technology.

Without specific details on which products will be subject to the duty, it is unclear what the impact will be on China’s copper industry. While China’s direct exports of copper to the US are small, it is clear that large amounts of Chinese-made copper are used in end products that are destined for the US. A broader implementation of the tariff that targets products with copper content could have a much higher knock-on effect on China’s exports.

July 3, 2025: US lifts export ban on key chip design software and technology to China

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the US Department of Commerce has informed companies providing electronic design automation (EDA) software that they can proceed to export their services to China without a license, the implicated companies have confirmed to reporters.

On May 23, the “big three” American EDA software providers – Cadence, Synopsys, and Siemens – received letters from the BIS stating that they would require export licenses in order to provide their chip design software and technology to China.

In a statement published on its website, Siemens said it had been notified by the BIS that the export restrictions on EDA software and technology to customers in China are no longer in place. The company added that as a result, it has “restored full access to software and technology [..] and we have resumed sales and support to Chinese customers.”

The lifting of the EDA export ban is likely tied to the deal that was reached between the US and China last week. The deal, which has not been released to the public but has been confirmed by both US and Chinese officials, will see China approve export licenses for rare earths and other critical materials in exchange for the US lifting its countermeasures taken against China.

According to Reuters, the US also sent letters to ethane producers to “rescind a restrictive licensing requirement on exports to China imposed in late May and June”, in another likely effort to uphold their end of the deal.

June 27, 2025: US and China officials say deal to speed up rare earth licenses has been reached

On Thursday, June 26, Trump told reporters that the US had signed a deal with China the previous day to facilitate the export of rare earths to the US. This was later reaffirmed by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who, speaking to Bloomberg on Friday, stated that China would begin to provide rare earths to the US in exchange for the US taking down its countermeasures against China.

On Friday, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) confirmed some of the details, stating that China will “approve the export applications of controlled items that comply with the conditions set out in the law” in exchange for the US lifting a “series of restrictive measures taken against China”.

While the details of the deal have not yet been released, the statements from officials suggest significant progress has been made on one of the central issues stymying trade talks ahead of the August 12 deadline set in the Geneva deal reached in May.

In the broader context of US-China trade relations, the scope of the deal is still likely to be limited, focusing on implementing the agreements made in the Geneva deal, which mainly rolls back actions taken since April 2, rather than tackling long-standing disputes.

June 16, 2025: US Commerce Department expands 50% steel tariff to household appliances

On Monday, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the US Department of Commerce published a notice adding several household appliances to the tariff list of steel-derivative items, meaning they will be subject to an additional 50 percent tariff when imported into the US. The new tariff, which will be levied on the proportion of steel contained in the product rather than the entire item, will come into effect on June 23, 2025.

The notice follows a proclamation signed by President Trump on June 3 raising the tariff rate on steel and aluminum products, as well as derivative articles, from 25 to 50 percent, effective June 4.

The “steel derivative items” now subject to the 50 percent tariff are:

1. Combined refrigerator-freezers (HTSUS: 8418.10.00)
2. Small and large dryers (HTSUS: 8451.21.00 and 8451.29.00)
3. Washing machines (HTSUS: 8450.11.00 and 8450.20.00)
4. Dishwashers (HTSUS: 8422.11.00)
5. Chest and upright freezers (HTSUS: 8418.30.00 and 8418.40.00)
6. Cooking stoves, ranges, and ovens (HTSUS: 8516.60.40)
7. Food waste disposals (HTSUS: 8509.80.20)
8. Welded wire rack (HTSUS: 9403.99.9020)

The combined value of imports of products under these HTSUS subheadings from China in 2024 was almost US$3 billion, per data from ITC Trade Map. While the majority of these products will be taxed on their steel content, welded wire rack products will also be taxed on their aluminum content.

As the duty is only applied to the proportion of steel or aluminum contained in the product, it will not impact all household appliances entering the US equally. A representative from the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) told Caixin that the tariff will negatively impact exporters of large appliances like washing machines that contain higher levels of steel, but will have limited reach on other product categories, noting that “the steel and aluminum content in many Chinese-made appliances typically ranges from 15% to 30%.”

June 11, 2025: US and China agree on trade “framework” following meetings in London; current tariff rates unchanged

Following two days of meetings between senior Chinese and US officials in London on June 9 and 10, the two sides have agreed on a framework agreement to uphold the terms of the Geneva trade deal reached in May.

Although details of the framework had not been released, Trump told reporters on Wednesday that “We made a great deal with China. We’re very happy with it,” adding that “We have everything we need, and we’re going to do very well with it.”

Speaking at a press briefing following the meetings, China International Trade Representative at the Ministry of Commerce, Li Chenggang, said that the two sides had “agreed in principle the framework for implementing consensus between the two heads of state during their phone talks on June 5, as well as those reached at Geneva talks”.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the deal with China is “done, subject to final approval” from Trump and Xi Jinping. He also suggested that disagreements over Chinese exports of rare earth metals have been resolved, stating that China will supply full magnets and any necessary rare earths “up front”. Trump also said that the US will provide China “what was agreed to”, which includes continuing to allow Chinese students to attend US universities, suggesting the US is stepping back from previous threats to revoke Chinese student visas and pausing new visa applications.

He also said that the US is getting “a total of 55% tariffs, China is getting 10%”, suggesting that the current tariff arrangements will remain in place. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed to reporters on Wednesday that the 55 percent tariff rate on China will remain unchanged.

The 55 percent tariff consists of the worldwide 10 percent minimum baseline tariff imposed since April 2, 2025, the 20 percent “fentanyl” tariffs imposed since March 4, 2025, and the 25 percent Section 301 tariffs on most Chinese goods in place since Trump’s first term in office.

Without more concrete details on the framework agreement, it is unclear exactly which terms have been agreed upon and whether the disagreements and misunderstandings surrounding rare earth metals (see June 9 entry) have been resolved.

June 9, 2025: US and China officials begin trade talks in London, focus likely to be on issuance of rare earth export licenses

On Monday, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met with US counterparts, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, in London for the first meeting of the “China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism“. This mechanism, as it has been called by the Chinese side, was established during the trade meetings held in May, which led to the Geneva trade deal.

The meetings will continue on Tuesday, and while little official information has been released, talks are likely to focus on resolving misunderstandings surrounding China’s issuance of rare earth export licenses.

As part of the Geneva trade deal, China agreed to suspend or remove non-tariff countermeasures it took against the US since Trump imposed reciprocal tariffs on April 2, 2025. However, there has been significant disagreement over the exact extent of China’s obligations under the agreement.

On April 4, China imposed export restrictions on seven types of rare earth metals that have “dual-use” attributes, requiring exporters to apply for an license to export these products. These restrictions apply worldwide, not just to exports to the US, and applications take 45 days to process, as prescribed in the Provisions on Export Control of Dual-Use Items.

It appears that the US side expected China to remove the license requirement entirely, or to significantly expedite the processing of applications for products headed for the US. However, as the restrictions apply to all countries, not just the US, and the processing timeline and requirements are stipulated in Chinese law, it was always highly unlikely that China would make such an accommodation for the US without further incentives.

China has already begun approving some export license applications.

The call held between Presidents Xi and Trump on June 5 seems to have cleared up some of these misunderstandings, but what exactly was discussed is not yet clear. China could yet provide some concessions on this issue if reciprocal arrangements are made. According to Reuters, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett told reporters that “the U.S. was likely to agree to lift export controls on some semiconductors in return for China speeding up the delivery of rare earths”.

June 5, 2025: Xi and Trump hold phone call, indicate future in-person meeting

President Xi Jinping and President Trump spoke over the phone on Thursday, helping to diffuse mounting tensions over trade and export controls. The discussion came as both sides accused the other of failing to live up to the terms of the trade agreement reached in mid-May.

In a post published on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said that the call, which lasted around and hour and a half, revolved around “some of the intricacies of our […] Trade Deal”, and resulted in “a very positive conclusion for both Countries.” While he did not provide many details, he said the two exclusively discussed trade matters, but added that “There should no longer be any questions respecting the complexity of Rare Earth products”. This indicates that the two discussed China’s export restrictions on certain rare earth metals, one of the core sticking points in the trade negotiations.

Trump also said that Chinese officials and officials from the Trump administration will soon meet “at a location to be determined”, with the US side being represented by Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

Trump also claimed that Xi invited to Trump to visit China, to which Trump extended a reciprocal invite.

According to a statement published by Xinhua, Xi called for more dialogue and cooperation, stating that the US and China should “enhance dialogue in fields such as diplomacy, economy and trade, military, and law enforcement”.

Although Trump said the two only discussed trade matters, the Xinhua readout said that Xi warned the US to be cautious when handling the Taiwan issue, and “to avoid allowing a small number of “Taiwan independence” separatists from plunging the US and China into the dangerous situation of conflict and confrontation”.

According to the Xinhua readout, Trump stated that he had the utmost respect for Xi, and that the US welcomes China’s sustained economic growth. He also reiterated that the US will adhere to the One China policy.

May 31, 2025: Trump doubles steel and aluminum tariffs to 50% from June 4

President Trump has announced that the US will raise the tariff on all steel and aluminum imports into the US from 25 percent to 50 percent starting June 4.

Trump first imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports arriving from all countries under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 in early February.

Many steel and aluminum products of Chinese origin are already subject to a 25 percent tariff under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The so-called 20 percent “fentanyl” tariff on Chinese goods imposed in February and March under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) will also apply to these goods. However, the “reciprocal” tariff (currently at 10 percent) will not apply, as goods subject to Section 232 tariffs have been excluded from this tariff.

Starting June 4, the final tariff rate on Chinese steel and aluminum products will be at least 70 percent. For products also covered by Section 301, the total rate will exceed 95 percent.

Chinese steel and aluminum have faced Section 301 tariffs since Trump’s first term, leading to a sharp decline in direct exports to the US in recent years. While the latest tariff hike is unlikely to significantly affect China’s direct shipments to the US, the global scope of the new rates could further hit Chinese steel and aluminum exports to third countries that re-export these products to the US.

May 29, 2025: US Commerce Department orders companies to stop exports of key chip materials and software to China, according to reports

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has ordered various American companies to cease providing key software and materials needed for the design and production of chips to China, according to media reports citing unnamed sources.

According to Reuters, the DOC will require these companies to receive a license before being permitted to export the products to China, and some licenses previously granted have been revoked.

Among the companies that received letters from the DOC’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) are Cadence, Synopsys, and Siemens EDA, the “big three” in electronic design automation (EDA), a critical software needed for the design of semiconductors. These companies, which received the order a week ago, will now require licenses to sell their software to China.

Other products that have been targeted include chemicals for semiconductors, such as butane and ethane, as well as machine tools and aviation equipment, according to Reuters. However, the US government has not yet made the orders public.

A spokesperson from China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Monday, June 2 condemned the move, saying that it, along with the decision made on May 28 to start revoking the visas of Chinese students, “seriously violate the consensus reached by the two heads of state on January 17, seriously undermine the existing consensus of the Geneva talks, and seriously damage China’s legitimate rights and interests.”

Commenting on accusations from President Trump that China had “totally violated” the agreement reached in Geneva in May, the spokesperson said that the US “has turned the tables and unreasonably accused China of violating the consensus, which is seriously contrary to the facts”.

May 28, 2025: US State Department says it will start “aggressively” revoking Chinese students’ visas

A statement from the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to “aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields”. Visa criteria will also be revised to “enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong.”

This move comes amid the US’s broader crackdown on international students as part of Trump’s agenda to reduce immigration to the US. A day earlier, Rubio had reportedly ordered US embassies and consulates to halt all new visa application appointments with international students, and that new procedures will be put in place to vet the students’ social media accounts.

Last week, Trump attempted to prevent Harvard from sponsoring international student visas, although this has been temporarily halted by a judge. However, Trump officials told CNN on Wednesday that the State Department will now be reviewing all Harvard-afiiliated visas, including student, business, and work visas.

China has strongly condemned this announcement. In a statement to media on Thursday, Foreign Ministry Spokespoerson Mao Ning called the move “political and discriminatory practice by the United States” and that it will “fhas seriously damaged the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students and interfered with normal cultural exchanges between the two countries”.

The spokesperson also said China has formally disputed the matter with the US.

May 28, 2025: US federal court blocks fentanyl and reciprocal tariffs, ruling Trump exceeded authority 

Judges at the US Court of International Trade on Wednesday ruled that Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping tariffs on all global trade partners exceeded his authority, giving the administration 10 days to remove the reciprocal tariffs imposed since April 2, and the tariffs related to fentanyl trafficking placed on China, Canada, and Mexico..

The ruling was for two cases brought against the US government and its customs and trade agencies, one by a group of five small businesses and the other by 12 US states.

According to the court’s slip order, “The court does not read IEEPA to confer such unbounded authority [to impose unlimited tariffs on goods from nearly every country] and sets aside the challenged tariffs imposed thereunder.” Instead, the authority to impose such tariffs lies with Congress.

The Trump administration has appealed the ruling, with the possibility that the case will end up in the Supreme Court.

The ruling, if it stands, will impact the following tariffs currently imposed on China:

• The 20 percent “fentanyl” tariffs imposed since March 2025
• The “reciprocal” tariff imposed since April 2, 2025 (10 percent as of May 14, rising to 30 percent after 90 days)

The ruling will not affect sector-specific tariffs, such as the tariffs on steel, aluminum, and vehicles, as well as the China-specific Section 301 tariffs.

While the ruling has brought hope to many businesses and countries around the world, it is important to note that the decision is not final, and that the US government has other ways of imposing blanket tariffs on all goods and trade partners. Analysts at Goldman Sachs told CNBC that the administration could instead invoke Section 122 or Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, or Section 338 of the Trade Act of 1930. This means that the ruling will likely only be a temporary setback for the administration.

Nonetheless, the Trump administration had partly framed the sweeping tariffs as a bargaining tool in trade negotiations with key partners such as the EU, India, and China. This ruling significantly undermines the US’s negotiating position by casting doubt on whether the tariffs can be maintained at all.

May 20, 2025: US Department of Commerce Alleges China Unfairly Subsidizes Key Battery Materials in Preliminary Determination, Paving Way for Countervailing Duties of up to 721%

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) issued a preliminary affirmative determination in a countervailing duty investigation into active anode materials from China. The determination states that China is unfairly subsidizing producers of these key materials, with rates ranging from 6.55 percent to 721.03 percent, to the detriment of US producers.

The active anode materials, which include graphite and silicone materials, are crucial for the production of electric vehicle batteries. The investigation was petitioned by the American Active Anode Material Producers, an ad hoc trade association representing American graphite producers, in December 2024. According to Bloomberg, the petitioners initially sought anti-subsidy tariffs of up to 920 percent.

The DOC will issue its final determination on September 29, 2025, after which the International Trade Commission (ITC) will issue its final determination and final order on the duties in November 2025.

This paves the way for potential anti-subsidy tariffs of up the 721.03 percent on certain Chinese producers – namely Huzhou Kaijin New Energy Technology Corp., Ltd. and Shanghai Shaosheng Knitted Sweat – as well as a 6.55 percent tariff on all other Chinese companies

The DOC is concurrently conducting an antidumping duty investigation into active anode materials from China.

May 18, 2025: China Announces Anti-Dumping Tariffs of up to 74.9% on POM Copolymers from US, EU, Taiwan, and Japan

On May 18, 2025, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced a 74.9 percent anti-dumping tariff on US exports of polyformaldehyde copolymer (POM copolymer), following the conclusion of a year-long investigation. MOFCOM determined that US, EU, Taiwanese, and Japanese producers were dumping POM copolymers into the Chinese market at unfairly low prices, causing material injury to China’s domestic industry. The tariffs will take effect on May 19, 2025, and remain in place for five years.

POM copolymer is a high-strength thermoplastic used in products such as automotive parts, electronics, industrial machinery, consumer goods, medical equipment, and construction materials. It is valued for its durability, fatigue resistance, and ability to substitute for metals like copper and zinc. The tariffs apply specifically to products classified under Chinese customs codes 39071010 and 39071090.

The ruling imposes company-specific duties: all US exporters, including Ticona Polymers, face a uniform 74.9 percent rate. EU companies such as Celanese Production Germany are subject to a 34.5 percent tariff. Taiwanese firms Polyplastics Taiwan and Formosa Plastics received lower duties of 3.8 and 4 percent, respectively, while other Taiwanese exporters face 32.6 percent. Japanese firms, including Polyplastics Co. and Asahi Kasei, face duties of 35.5 and 24.5 percent, respectively.

Importers must pay the anti-dumping duties based on the customs-assessed value of the goods, with import VAT levied on the total value, including tariffs and duties. Deposits collected during the preliminary period from January 24 to May 18, 2025, will be converted into final anti-dumping duties. Overpayments will be refunded, while underpayments will not be collected.

May 13, 2025: US Commerce Department warns US companies against use of Chinese-made ICs, including specific Huawei Ascend chips

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the US Department of Commerce has issued new guidance for US companies and individuals, warning them against using Chinese-made advanced computing integrated circuits (ICs). The move comes just one day after the US and China reached a trade deal to lower reciprocal tariff rates and roll back other non-tariff countermeasures.

The original BIS announcement, released on May 12, initially warned companies against using the ICs “anywhere in the world”, but updated the guidance to remove this wording a day later.

The guidance claims that these ICs were “likely developed or produced in violation of U.S. export controls”, and their use therefore violates General Prohibition 10 (GP10) of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

The GP10 lists 10 prohibitions of the export, re-export, or in-country transfer of commodities, software, and technology subject to the EAR. GP10 also prohibits US companies and individuals from proceeding with a transaction if they know that such a transaction has or will involve an item that is in violation of the EAR.

The guidance states that the use of Chinese-made ICs, including specific Huawei Ascend chips, could violate the tenth prohibition of GP10 that bars any use or handling of items subject to US export controls if the person or company knows or has reason to know that they are linked to a past, present, or intended violation of US export laws.

The guidance lists the Huawei Ascend 910B, Huawei Ascend 910C, and Huawei Ascend 910D chips as examples of ICs that are likely subject to US export controls under the EAR. According to the BIS, these chips may be in violation of the EAR as they are likely to have been designed with US software or technology or produced with semiconductor manufacturing equipment that is the direct product of US-origin software or technology, or both, which was prohibited without a BIS license.

The guidance goes on to warn that the use of these ICs without authorization from the BIS could result in severe penalties “up to and including imprisonment, fines, loss of export privileges, or other restrictions”.

Another guidance issued by the BIS also warns companies and individuals that certain activities related to the transfer or support of advanced computing ICs for AI model training may require authorization from the BIS, especially when there is knowledge that the technology will be used for or on behalf of certain countries and regions (including China and Macau) for military-intelligence or WMD-related purposes.

A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce condemned the guidance from the BIS, stating that the US has “abused its export control measures and imposed stricter restrictions on Chinese chip products under unfounded allegations”. The spokesperson added that the announcement “undermined Chinese companies’ legitimate rights, threatened the stability of global semiconductor supply chains, violated market rules and disrupted international trade order”.

May 13, 2025: US Reduces De Minimis Tariff Rates but Costs Remain High for Small Parcels

The Trump administration has lowered the de minimis tariff rate on parcels from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong from 120 percent to 54 percent, aligning with the recent US-China agreement to reduce reciprocal tariffs.

The de minimis rate was first raised to 54 percent on April 2, the same day Trump imposed the so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs on multiple trade partners, including China. It was subsequently increased twice, reaching 120 percent or a US$100 per-item fee effective May 2, with plans to raise the fee to US$200 from June 1. Following the weekend agreement to lower reciprocal tariffs to 10 percent — the US’s baseline minimum tariff — the administration reduced the de minimis rate to 54 percent but maintained the US$100 per-item fee, canceling the scheduled June 1 increase to US$200.

Despite the reduction, the cost of importing small parcels remains significantly higher than before, when they entered duty-free. This change represents a substantial shift for small businesses and consumers accustomed to low-cost, duty-exempt imports. While the reduction from 120 percent to 54 percent may ease some of the financial burden, the added costs and maintained per-item fee still present a formidable barrier to cost-effective importing, particularly for e-commerce platforms such as Shein and Temu.

May 12, 2025: China and US agree to reduce reciprocal tariffs to 10%

On Monday, May 12, 2025, the White House and China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) released a joint statement in which they committed to lowering reciprocal tariff rates from 125 percent to just 10 percent for a period of 90 days. The existing 20 percent tariff on Chinese goods will remain in place, meaning the final tariff rate on Chinese goods will be 30 percent.

The agreement follows a meeting between Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, the US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, and US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, in Geneva over the weekend.

The agreement sees both sides commit to entirely cancel the higher reciprocal tariff rates imposed in succession from April 9. The 34 percent rate initially imposed by the US on April 2 and by China on April 4 has been amended to 10 percent for an initial period of 90 days. This suggests that, should no further deal be reached in the next 90 days and this period is not extended, the tariff rate will return to 34 percent, not 125 percent.

In addition to lowering the duties, China has agreed to suspend or remove other non-tariff countermeasures it has taken against the US since the reciprocal tariffs were first imposed on April 2, 2025.

In the joint statement, China and the US committed to establishing a mechanism for ongoing trade discussions, led by Vice Premier He for China and Greer and Bessent for the US. While specific concessions remain unclear, potential topics include reducing the US trade deficit and increasing US market access in China, similar to the 2020 Phase One deal. Despite the agreement, the 10 percent baseline tariff will likely remain, as seen in a recent US-UK trade deal. The US’s US$295.4 billion trade deficit with China remains a central concern, though past attempts to reduce it, including China’s commitment to purchase $200 billion in US goods under the Phase One deal, were not fully realized. The new framework nonetheless offers a potential path for more substantive negotiations in the future.

May 7, 2025: Chinese and US Officials to Meet in Geneva on Saturday and Sunday

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will meet with the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Geneva during the Vice Premier’s visit to Switzerland between May 9 and 12, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has confirmed.

This will be the first meeting between Chinese and US officials since Trump instigated a global trade war that culminated in a 145 percent on Chinese goods and a 125 percent counter-tariff on US goods.

In a statement to reporters, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said that China agreed to the meetings “on the basis of fully considering global expectations, China’s interests, and the calls of the US industry and consumers”. The statement also warned that the US would have to “face up to the serious negative impact of unilateral tariff measures on itself and the world” if it wanted to resolve the dispute through negotiations, and that China would never agree to any “attempt to continue to coerce and blackmail under the guise of talks”.

In an interview with Fox News, Bessent said that the current situation “isn’t sustainable” and that the two-way tariffs are the equivalent of “an embargo”. He added that he believed the meetings would be more about “de-escalation” rather than a trade deal. When asked whether the US would consider lowering the tariff rate on China in the interim as a show of good faith, Bessent said that “everything is on the table”, but that Trump would be happy to treat China as he does other trading partners and “ratchet the number back up” if no deal was reached.

The meetings mark a major diplomatic breakthrough after weeks of suggestions that talks were underway. On May 2, MOFCOM confirmed to the media that the Trump administration has sought to “convey information” to China and that China is “currently evaluating” the US’s attempts to hold negotiations on trade. In recent weeks, US officials and the president himself have stated that the US is in talks with China over the tariffs and trade, however, China denied that any discussions were taking place.

In the Fox News interview, Bessent also said that the US “does not want a decoupling” from China. However, he clarified that while the US will continue to buy low-value goods such as textiles and footwear from China, it did want to decouple over “strategic industries” that affect national security, and that the US will seek to “bring back” domestic strategic and precision manufacturing of products such as steel, semiconductors, and medicine.

April 22 to 24, 2025: Trump administration signals tariff easing in coming weeks dependant on deal, but negotiations with China still not underway

The Trump administration has indicated that it may reduce the tariff rate on China in the near future, but that this decision would depend on potential negotiations and a trade deal.

President Trump told reporters on Tuesday that the 145 percent tariff on Chinese goods is likely to come down. According to CNN, Trump told reporters that “145% is very high and it won’t be that high,” and that “ It’ll come down substantially. But it won’t be zero.”

The statement follows comments made by the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who told a group of investors at a closed-door meeting earlier that day, “No one thinks the current status quo is sustainable, at 145 and 125 [per cent], so I would posit that over the very near future, there will be a de-escalation.”

On Wednesday, Trump told reporters that he would announce new tariff rates on trading partners including China over the next few weeks, but that the tariffs rates “depends on them”. He also added that if the US does not strike a deal with a company or country, then “we’re going to set the tariff.”

The Trump administration had also indicated that the US were currently in talks with China over a potential trade deal. Also on Wednesday, he told reporters that the US was “actively” talking to China. However, this has been refuted by both China and members of Trump’s team. Also on Wednesday, the Treasury Secretary told reporters that negotiations had not yet begun. However, an anonymous White House official told Politico that the two statements are not contradictory, clarifying that while there are “always active conversations” and “open lines of communication” between the US and China, the Treasury Secretary did not want to overstate the level of progress that has been made on negotiations.

Speaking at a regular press conference on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun also refuted that any discussions were taking place, telling reporters that “None of that is true. For all I know, China and the U.S. are not having any consultation or negotiation on tariffs, still less reaching a deal.”

At a press conference a day earlier, Guo said that China’s “doors are open, if the U.S. wants to talk”, but warned that continued pressure on China would not lead to a deal, stating that “to keep asking for a deal while exerting extreme pressure is not the right way to deal with China and simply will not work”.

On Wednesday, the Financial Times reported that Trump was considering exempting car parts from the China tariffs. However, car parts would still be subject to the 25 percent levy on all auto imports to the US that Trump imposed in early April.

April 21, 2025: US Commerce Department imposes steep tariffs on Chinese-made solar cell imports from Southeast Asia

On Monday, the US Department of Commerce (DoC) announced its final determinations in anti-dumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations into solar cells from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The investigations were launched in May 2024 under the Biden administration following a petition from First Solar, Inc., Hanwha Q CELLS USA, Inc., and Mission Solar Energy LLC.

Preliminary CVD and AD rates were implemented in October and November 2024.

According to the DoC, the CVD investigation found that “imports of solar cells from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are being dumped into the U.S. market and receiving countervailable subsidies”. The investigation alleges that Chinese solar companies with operations in these four countries are receiving subsidies from China.

The AD and CVD rates range widely between companies and countries. For instance, CVDs range from a low of 14.64 percent on imports from Hanwha Q CELLS in Malaysia to 3,403.96 percent on imports from four companies in Cambodia. According to Reuters, the combined AD tariff and CVDs on Jinko Solar products from Malaysia were subject to one of the lowest rates at 41.56 percent, while Trina Solar’s products from Thailand are subject to a rate of 375.19 percent.

The International Trade Commission (ITC), a separate federal agency from the DoC, will have until June 2, 2025, to make its final determination on harm caused to US industries by the alleged dumping activities and subsidies. The final AD tariffs and CVD rates will be imposed if the ITC affirms the DoC’s findings.

US tariffs on Chinese solar cells date back to 2012, when the Obama administration imposed duties of approximately 36 percent on Chinese solar products. As a result, direct imports from China to the US have sharply declined. In response, Chinese manufacturers have attempted to bypass these tariffs by shifting production to Southeast Asian countries not subject to the duties. If the new tariffs are finalized by the ITC, they are expected to significantly hinder Chinese companies’ ability to access the US market. According to the International Trade Administration (ITA), the US imported $11.9 billion worth of solar cells from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam in 2023.

April 17, 2025: US to implement fees on Chinese vessels docking at US ports

The US Trade Representative (USTR) has announced it will begin to implement fees on Chinese vessels docking at US ports, as part of an effort to counter what the US claims are “China’s unreasonable acts, policies, and practices to dominate the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors.”

These fees mark a continuation of initiatives to strengthen the US shipbuilding industry, which began during the Biden administration. The decision aligns with an executive order (EO) signed by President Trump on April 9, declaring that it is the policy of the US “to revitalize and rebuild domestic maritime industries and workforce to promote national security and economic prosperity.”

According to the EO, “the United States constructs less than one percent of commercial ships globally, while the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is responsible for producing approximately half.”

In accordance with this policy, the EO directed the USTR to “take appropriate steps to enforce any restriction, fee, penalty, or duty imposed pursuant to such actions” related to China’s shipbuilding practices.

The fees follow a Section 301 investigation initiated exactly one year earlier under the Biden administration. The investigation examined “longstanding efforts to dominate the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors, cataloguing the PRC’s use of unfair, non-market policies and practices to achieve those goals.” Its findings, released on January 16, 2025, concluded that “China’s targeting of the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for dominance is unreasonable.”

A public hearing on proposed actions stemming from the investigation’s findings was held by the USTR on March 24 and 26.

The fees will be introduced in two phases.

The first phase will start after 180 days from April 17. A US$0 fee will be applied in the interim 180 days. After this period, the following fees will be phased in:

• Fees on vessel owners and operators of China: Charges will be based on net tonnage (NT) per US voyage, starting at US$50/NT and increasing incrementally to US$140/NT over the next three years.
• Fees on operators of Chinese-built ships: Charges will be based on NT or containers. For arriving vessels, fees will increase from US$18/NT to US$33/NT. For each container discharged, fees will rise from US$120 to US$250 over the next three years.
• Fees on foreign-built vehicle carriers: To incentivize the use of US-built car carriers, operators of non-US-built vessels will be charged US$150 per Car Equivalent Unit (CEU) of capacity.

Phase two will begin after three years:

• To encourage the use of US-built liquified natural gas (LNG) vessels, the US will begin imposing limited restrictions on the transportation of LNG by foreign vessels. These restrictions will gradually increase over a 22-year period.

Further actions to limit China’s shipbuilding industry will likely follow. The EO also called for the USTR to explore additional steps to support the US maritime industry, including potential tariffs on ship-to-shore cranes and other cargo handling equipment. The USTR is currently soliciting public comments on these proposals.

In response to the April 17 announcement by the USTR, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) stated that China is “strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposed” to the decision. Speaking to the media, a MOFCOM spokesperson said the move is unilateralist and protectionist, calling it a discriminatory, non-market approach that violates WTO rules, harms Chinese companies, disrupts supply chains, and undermines the rules-based international trade system. The spokesperson also noted that during the hearings, most industry representatives, including international voices, opposed the measure, but that the US still “insisted on taking unilateral action and released the relevant restrictive measures.”

The spokesperson also warned that China will closely monitor developments and “take necessary measures to safeguard its own rights and interests”, suggesting possible countermeasures.

April 11, 2025: US grants tariff exemption for smartphones, computers, and other electronics arriving from China

In an executive order signed on Friday, Trump exempted a range of electronic products and components from the reciprocal tariffs, including computers (including parts and accessories for their assembly), smartphones, flat panel displays, SSDs, computer monitors, various types of semiconductors, and integrated circuits. The exemptions are effective retroactively from April 5.

Currently, the only US reciprocal tariff still in effect is the 125 percent tariff on Chinese goods, meaning the exemption is intended for these products arriving from China.

While these goods are exempted from the 125 percent reciprocal tariff, the 20 percent tariff that Trump imposed on China in February will remain in place on these goods. Moreover, the US, under the Biden administration, placed a 50 percent tariff on Chinese semiconductors, taking effect in 2025.

Trump has also warned that the exemption will not be permanent, stating that semiconductors and the electronics supply chain will be looked at in the upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations.

April 11, 2025: China raises tariff on US goods to 125%, says it will no longer respond to US tariff hikes

The State Council Tariff Commission announced on Friday that it will further raise the tariff on US imports from 84 percent to 125 percent, matching the reciprocal tariff rate Trump imposed on China on April 9. The new tariff rate will take effect on April 12.

The announcement also once again stated that the US’s imposition of abnormally high tariffs on China “seriously violates international trade rules” and is an act of “unilateral bullying and coercion”.

Notably, the announcement also stated that, given that importing goods from the US to China will not be viable at the current tariff rate, China will no longer respond to any further tariff hikes from the US side.

However, speaking at a regular press conference on Friday, Foreign Spokesperson Li Jian repeated the line that “China will fight to the end” if the US continues its escalations and that “China does not wish to fight, but it is not afraid to fight.” He also called for resolving the issue through dialogue and negotiation “based on equality, mutual respect, and reciprocity”.

April 10, 2025: White House clarifies China tariff rate now 145%

A White House spokesperson clarified to CNBC on Thursday that the 125 percent reciprocal tariff rate imposed on China would be in addition to the 20 percent tariff imposed on China prior to April 2, bringing the final tariff rate to 145 percent.

Moreover, the CNBC reporter found that the 145 percent tariff is the minimum tariff, meaning it will be levied on top of any other existing tariffs. This would include the Section 301 tariffs imposed during Trump’s first term, as well as the tariffs imposed by Biden on electric vehicles, solar panels, semiconductors, and other products.

Trump’s initial executive order imposing reciprocal tariffs on global trade partners, including China, exempts certain items from the reciprocal tariffs, such as the 25 percent levy on steel and aluminum implemented in February. However, in practice, this would not apply to China as the Biden administration already imposed a 25 percent duty on these products coming from China in 2024.

April 9, 2025: China promises policy support to help weather impacts of trade war

At a symposium with economic experts and entrepreneurs on April 9, Chinese Premier Li Qiang emphasized the importance of strengthening economic efforts in the second quarter and beyond amid the challenges posed by the escalating trade war with the US.

Li pledged more proactive and impactful macroeconomic policies, calling for the swift implementation of existing measures and the timely introduction of new, targeted stimulus policies to counter external uncertainties. He stressed the need to reinforce the domestic economic cycle, viewing the expansion of domestic demand as a long-term strategy.

Key priorities include stabilizing employment, increasing household incomes, and boosting service consumption alongside efforts to modernize consumer goods. Li also highlighted the importance of integrating technological and industrial innovation to enhance the quality and responsiveness of supply.

To support businesses, Li called for the full implementation of supportive policies, improved law enforcement practices related to enterprises, and concrete solutions to persistent issues such as delayed payments and expensive or difficult financing. The goal, he said, is to create a better environment and policy support system to help companies overcome development challenges.

April 9, 2025: US further raises de minimis duty to 120%

In the executive order signed on Wednesday raising the reciprocal tariff on China to 125 percent, the Trump administration again raised the duties and fees for de minimis parcels arriving from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong. The new duties are as follows:

• An ad valorem tariff of 120 percent on the declared value of the parcel (up from 90 percent); or
• A per-item rate of US$100 (up from US$75) from May 1, rising to S$200 (up from US$150) from June 1.

April 9, 2025: US further raises tariff on China to 125%, pauses reicprocal tariffs on other countries

In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, President Trump announced that the tariff rate on China will raise further to 125 percent, effective immediately. The action comes on the same day as China raised the tariff on US goods to 84 percent, matching the US’s previous tariff rate that also came into effect on April 9.

In the same post, Trump announced a 90-day pause in the reciprocal tariffs placed on all other countries, with the 10 percent minimum base tariff to remain in place for all countries and regions.

While China has yet to announce a countermeasure to the latest escalation, speaking at a regular press conference on April 10, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that “there are no winners in tariff wars and trade wars” and added that “China does not want to fight, but is not afraid of fighting”. He also reiterated that China will “fight to the end” should the US continues its escalations.

April 9, 2025: China retaliates with 84% tariff on US goods

China’s Ministry of Finance (MOF) has retaliated against the US’s imposition of a 104 percent tariff by raising the duty rate on US goods from 34 percent to 84 percent. The tariff hike comes on the same day as the US’s 104 percent tariff rate on Chinese goods took effect and matches the 84 percent “reciprocal” tariff announced by the Trump administration on April 8.

In its announcement, the MOF called Trump’s escalating tariffs “a mistake on top of a mistake” that “seriously infringes on China’s legitimate rights and interests and seriously damages the rules-based multilateral trading system”.

The new tariff rate will take effect on April 10. As of the time of writing, the US has yet to respond to China’s latest countermeasure.

April 9, 2025: Chinese Commerce Ministry places 12 US companies on export control list and 6 on unreliable entities list

On the same day Trump’s 104 percent tariff on Chinese goods took effect, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) placed an additional 12 American companies on the export control list and six on the unreliable entities list.

On April 4, MOFCOM placed 16 American companies on the export control list and 11 on the unreliable entities list (see April 4 entry).

The companies placed on the export control list include American Photonics, Novotech, Inc., Echodyne, and Firestorm Labs, Inc., all of which produce advanced technologies with potential (or explicit) military applications. According to MOFCOM, these companies were placed on the list “in order to safeguard national security and interests and fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation”.

Meanwhile, the six companies on the unreliable entities list include Shield AI, Inc., Sierra Nevada Corporation, Cyberlux Corporation, and Hudson Technologies Co. Four of the six companies were already placed on the export control list on April 4.

Companies on the export control list will not be able to buy dual-use items from China, while the companies on the unreliable entities list will be prohibited from engaging in import and export activities related to China and from making new investments in China.

April 9, 2025: Trump raises tariff on China to 104%, raises de minimis duty to 90%

In an executive order signed on Tuesday, President Trump raised the reciprocal tariff rate on China from 34 percent to 84 percent, bringing the final rate to 104 percent. The additional 50 percent rate was implemented after China did not repeal the 34 percent duty it placed on US goods by April 8, as Trump had demanded. The 104 percent tariff, along with the reciprocal tariff rates placed on other countries, came into effect on Wednesday, April 9.

In addition to the higher flat tariff rate, the executive order also raised the duty rate and fees on de minimis shipments (small parcels for individual consumption under US$800 in value). The duty on these parcels had originally been raised to 30 percent of their value or a flat rate of US$25 (rising to US$50 from June 1) when Trump removed the de minimis exemption on parcels arriving from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong on April 2. The rates, effective May 2, will now be as follows:

• A 90 percent ad valorem duty (up from 30 percent); or
• A flat duty of US$75 per postal item from May 2 (up from US$25), rising to US$150 per item from June 1 (up from US$50).

Speaking at a regular press briefing on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian stated that “China deplores and rejects” the suggestion of an additional 50 percent tariff and said that the US was engaging in “economic bullying”. He also stated that if the US is “determined to fight a tariff and trade war, China’s response will continue to the end”.

April 8, 2025: War of words escalates as Trump threatens additional 50% tariff on China

The Chinese government has pushed back against a threat from Donald Trump to further increase the tariff rate on Chinese goods.

In a post on Truth Social on Monday, Trump threatened an additional 50 percent tariff on Chinese goods if China does not withdraw the 34 percent tariff announced in retaliation for Trump’s reciprocal tariffs on China. The additional 50 percent tariff would be implemented from April 9 and would bring the final tariff rate on China to 104 percent.

In a message posted on its official website on Tuesday morning, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said that China “firmly opposes” the US’s threat of an additional 50 percent tariff, and that if it goes ahead with this escalation, “China will resolutely take countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests”. The spokesperson also called the threat “a mistake on top of a mistake” and an attempt by the US to “blackmail” China, and stated that China will “fight to the end”. However, the spokesperson also called on the US to “properly resolve differences with China through equal dialogue on the basis of mutual respect”.

April 4, 2025: Trump signs executive order delaying implementation of TikTok ban

Trump signed a second executive order on Friday delaying the ban on TikTok for another 75 days, one day before the ban was set to go into effect. This is the second executive order signed by Trump to delay the ban-or-sell deadline that was imposed by the TikTok divestment bill, which was signed into law by former President Joe Biden in April 2024.

According to reports, TikTok’s owner ByteDance was close to reaching a deal with the Trump administration to sell the US portion of TikTok, as required by the bill. However, this deal had been scuppered by the announcement of an additional 34 percent reciprocal tariff on Chinese goods on April 2.

It now appears likely that the Chinese government will seek to use the selling of TikTok as leverage in any potential trade negotiations with the US.

April 4, 2024: China’s market regulator launches antitrust probe into DuPont

In a brief statement on its website, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced it has initiated an investigation into DuPont China Group Co., Ltd., the Chinese subsidiary of the American chemicals giant DuPont, for suspected violations of China’s Anti-Monopoly Law. While SAMR did not provide any information on the basis for the investigation into DuPont, according to a notice posted on US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) website, the probe is in relation to DuPont’s Tyvek business. Tyvek is a trademarked synthetic polyethylene material that is used widely in a variety of civilian and military settings.

According to reporting by Chinese media, DuPont has held a monopoly over this material and sought to use litigation to suppress smaller companies in China that have developed new technologies with similar performance.

The announcement of this probe is likely timed to act as a response to the 34 percent additional reciprocal tariff that Trump imposed on China on April 2. After Trump’s initial 10 percent tariff placed on China in early February, SAMR launched an investigation into Google for suspected violations of the Anti-Monopoly Law.

April 4, 2025: China retaliates with 34% duty on all US goods, export curbs, and sanctions on US companies

China’s State Council Tariff Commission in an announcement on Friday placed an additional 34 percent tariff on all goods entering the country from the US. Any current bonded and tax reduction and exemption policies will remain in place.

The new tariff will take effect from April 10, 2025. However, goods that have been shipped prior to April 10 and arrive in China between April 10 and May 13, the new rate will not apply.

This rate exactly matches the 34 percent tariff imposed on China by the Trump administration on April 2. However, the rate applied to China is in addition to the preexisting 20 percent rate imposed by Trump, meaning the final tariff rate on China will be 54 percent when the reciprocal tariff goes into effect on April 9.

The 34 percent rate that China has applied on US goods will also be on top of any other existing tariffs for the applicable goods.

On the same day, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and Customs Administrations placed export restrictions on seven different types of rare earths, namely various derivations of samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium. A MOFCOM spokesperson stated that these items have “dual-use attributes”, and that the export controls are aimed at “better safeguarding national security and interests and fulfilling international obligations such as non-proliferation”.

MOFCOM also placed 16 American companies on the “export control list” and 11 American companies on the “unreliable entities list”.

The stated motive for this move is “to safeguard national security and interests and fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation”. The companies placed on the export controls list, which are mostly defense companies, include High Point Aerotechnologies, Sierra Nevada Corporation, Hudson Technologies Co., and Cyberlux Corporation. The companies placed on the unreliable entities list include Skydio Inc., BRINC Drones, Inc., and Red Six Solutions. According to a statement from the MOFCOM spokesperson, these companies have “carried out so-called military and technical cooperation with Taiwan despite China’s strong opposition, seriously undermining China’s national sovereignty, security and development interests”.

Companies included on the export control list will be barred from purchasing certain goods and products from China. Meanwhile, the companies included on the unreliable entities list are prohibited from engaging in import and export activities related to China and may not make any new investments in China.

April 2, 2025: Trump reinstates end to de minimis exemption on Chinese parcels, effective May 2

On Wednesday, the same day the US tariff rate on Chinese imports was raised to 54 percent, President Donald Trump signed an executive order (EO) to once again end the de minimis exemption for parcels originating from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.

The de minimis exemption allows low-value packages – those worth under US$800 – to enter the US without customs duties or inspections. According to analysts, roughly four million packages per day entered the US under this exemption in 2024, many of them from Chinese e-commerce companies.

Trump had previously attempted to revoke the exemption as part of his February 1 tariff package but reversed the move within a week. On February 7, the White House issued an amendment delaying the change, following chaos at US logistics centers and customs warehouses. The US Postal Service had also temporarily suspended the acceptance of international parcels from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, but quickly reversed course.

The latest executive order claims that “adequate systems” are now in place to assess and collect duties on incoming parcels. As a result, the US will begin imposing duties on small-value packages from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong starting May 2, 2025.

The Trump administration has justified the move by alleging that Chinese-based shippers use the de minimis channel to engage in deceptive shipping practices. The EO states that some Chinese exporters “hide illicit substances and conceal the true contents” of parcels, avoiding detection due to the limited screening associated with de minimis treatment. The White House has linked this to broader concerns about fentanyl trafficking, which it claims is facilitated in part through these small parcels.

Under the new rules, packages from mainland China and Hong Kong will be subject to the following duties:

• Ad valorem duty of 30 percent of the declared value of the postal item
• Specific duty:
  • US$25 per item between May 2 and May 31, 2025
  • US$50 per item beginning June 1, 2025

The EO directs the Secretary of Commerce to make an assessment of the potential impact of the order on American consumers and businesses, and provide a recommendation on whether the end of the exemption should also be extended to Macau “to prevent circumvention of this order”.

The end of the exemption is expected to have widespread implications for online retailers such as Shein, Temu, and Amazon, as well as for smaller US businesses that rely on low-cost Chinese imports. Analysts warn that the decision will also affect millions of American consumers by raising prices and causing delays at customs due to backlogs and new inspection protocols.

April 2, 2025 – Trump imposes sweeping tariffs, raising Chinese import duties to 54% 

?On April 2, 2025, President Donald Trump announced a comprehensive overhaul of US trade policy, introducing significant tariffs on imports from various countries. This “Liberation Day” initiative aims to address perceived trade imbalances and bolster domestic industries.?

Key highlights inlcude:

• Universal tariff: A baseline 10 percent tariff will be applied to all imports entering the United States. ?
  
  
• China-specific tariffs: Chinese imports will face an additional 34 percent tariff on top of the existing 20 percent, culminating in a total tariff rate of 54 percent.
  
  
• Tariffs on other nations: Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, the European Union, and Japan will be subject to new tariffs of 46 percent, 36 percent, 49 percent, 20 percent, and 24 percent, respectively.
  
  
• Sector-specific tariffs: Additional duties of 25 percent will be imposed on foreign automobiles, car parts, steel, and aluminum. ?
  
  

The universal 10 percent import tariff is set to take effect on April 5, 2025.? The additional “reciprocal” tariffs targeting specific countries will commence on April 9, 2025. ?The additional 25 percent tariff on foreign automobiles, car parts, steel, and aluminum would go into effect at midnight, April 3, 2025.

The announcement has led to significant volatility in global financial markets. Analysts express concerns about potential inflationary pressures and disruptions to international trade. While supporters argue that these measures will revitalize American manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign goods, critics warn of escalating trade tensions and possible retaliatory actions from affected nations. ?As the situation develops, stakeholders across various sectors are advised to monitor policy changes closely and assess their potential impact on international trade and economic stability.?

March 26, 2025 – US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer holds video call with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng held a video call on March 26 to discuss the US-China economic and trade relationship. According to the US Trade Representative (USTR) readout, Greer emphasized President Trump’s commitment to a reinvigorated trade policy that strengthens domestic industry, safeguards national security, and ensures fair competition for American workers. He also raised concerns about China’s trade practices, which the US views as unfair and anticompetitive.

Meanwhile, according to the China State Council readout, Vice Premier He conveyed China’s concerns over additional US tariffs, particularly those tied to fentanyl-related issues and the Section 301 investigation. He urged the US to engage in equal consultations to address trade disputes. Both sides agreed that maintaining a stable economic relationship is in their mutual interest.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of Trump’s 20 percent tariffs on Chinese goods, which remain a key issue in bilateral trade talks. According to reports, Trump has suggested he may consider lowering tariffs on China in exchange for a deal over TikTok, which is coming up against an April 5 deadline to be sold or face a potential US ban.

March 25, 2025 – US Commerce Department adds over 50 Chinese Entities to Entity List

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) under the US Department of Commerce added 80 entities from a range of countries, over 50 of which are from China. According to the press release, the purpose of including these companies to the list is to restrict China from acquiring and developing high-performance and exascale computing capabilities and quantum technologies for military applications, as well as impeding China’s development of hypersonic weapons.

The entities notably include six subsidiaries of the Chinese cloud computing and big data services provider Inspur Group, including Inspur’s subsidiary in Taiwan (Inspur Taiwan). These entities were added “for their contributions to Inspur’s development of supercomputers for military end use, particularly by acquiring or attempting to acquire U.S.-origin items in support of supercomputer projects for the Chinese government and/or military”.

Inspur Group was placed on the Entity List in 2023.

Other entities added to the list include the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, a non-profit AI research lab; Nettrix Information Industry, a server manufacturer and IT system provider; and Suma Technology.

Companies included on the Entity List will be subject to export restrictions, and US companies will be unable to do business with the entities without a license.

In a regular press briefing on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun called the latest action “an abuse of [the US’s] entity list and other export controls” and that they were in violation of international law. He also repeated the line that “China will take necessary steps to firmly safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies”, suggesting possible retaliation.

March 23, 2025: Premier Li Qiang meets with US Senator Steve Daines

Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Republican Senator Steve Daines, along with a group of American business executives in Beijing as a part of the annual China Development Forum.

According to the readout of the meeting, Li urged communication between China and the US, stating that “Both sides should choose dialogue rather than confrontation, and choose win-win cooperation instead of a zero-sum game.”

He also emphasized the importance of trade in bilateral relations, warning that “the more difficulties bilateral relations face, the more important it is to safeguard and develop China-US economic and trade cooperation.”

This was the first meeting between Chinese and US officials since Trump took office in January and comes amid an escalating trade war that has seen the US place 20 percent tariffs on goods coming from China.

During the last Trump administration, Daines played an important role in the negotiations for the Phase One US-China Trade Agreement, particularly in advocating for agricultural interests.

When asked in a regular press conference whether Daines’ trip signaled a possible meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that “we […] welcome Americans from all walks of life, including members of the Congress, to visit China.”

March 20, 2025: US Department of State and US Treasury Secretary sanction a Chinese oil terminal and refinery

The US Department of State on Thursday sanctioned the Huaying Huizhou Daya Bay Petrochemical Terminal Storage in Guangdong for allegedly “buying and storing Iranian crude oil from a sanctioned vessel.” Meanwhile, the Department of the Treasury (the Treasury) concurrently sanctioned the Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical Co., Ltd oil refinery in Shandong “for purchasing and refining hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian crude oil.”

In addition, the Treasury sanctioned 12 entities and one individual and identified eight vessels as blocked property (property owned by sanctioned entities) for purportedly being part of Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers, which ship “millions of barrels of Iranian oil to China”.

These sanctions are designed to end Iran’s oil exports. The US alleges that income derived from Iran’s oil exports is funding Iran’s attacks on US allies and helping to fund US-designated terrorist groups.

In a regular press meeting on Friday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning called the action an “abuse of illicit unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction” and called for the US to stop “disrupting the normal business cooperation between China and Iran”. She also cautioned that China will “take all measures necessary to firmly safeguard the lawful rights and interests of our companies”.

March 4, 2025: China counters Trump’s tariffs with duties on US agricultural products

China’s Ministry of Finance (MOF) has announced a series of counter-tariffs on crucial US agricultural goods one day after Trump increased tariffs on Chinese goods to 20 percent.

The tariffs on US goods are as follows:

1. A 15 percent tariff on chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton.
2. A 10 percent tariff on sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.

The MOF announcement stated that “the unilateral tariff increase by the US side undermines the multilateral trading system, increases the burden on US companies and consumers, and undermines the basis for economic and trade cooperation between China and the US.”

The tariffs will come into effect on March 10.

In a separate announcement, China’s Ministry of Commerce stated that China has sued the US under the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism for the latest tariff hike, stating that it violates the WTO’s rules and “undermines the basis for economic and trade cooperation between China and the United States”.

The targeting of US agricultural products is calculated. China is one of the world’s largest importers of agricultural products and a major buyer of US soybeans, corn, and sorghum. Agricultural products were a core component of the trade deal struck between China and the Trump administration in 2019, which saw China commit to purchasing around US$200 billion in agricultural goods from the US over a two-year period.

The US’s agricultural producers are also mainly located in the US’s red states, meaning the tariffs will hit Trump’s core voter base the hardest.

March 3, 2025: Trump raises tariffs on Chinese goods to 20%, effective March 4

The Trump administration has officially raised the tariff rate on Chinese imports from 10 to 20 percent through an executive order (EO) signed on Monday. The EO states that the increase to the 10 percent tariff initially implemented on February 4 is necessary as China “has not taken adequate steps to alleviate the illicit drug crisis through cooperative enforcement actions”.

The new tariff rate takes effect on March 4, the same day the postponed 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico come into force.

The Global Times, a sister publication of the state news organization The People’s Daily, reported on Monday that China was considering responding with counter-tariffs on US agricultural goods.

February 27, 2025: Trump threatens an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods

President Trump announced in a post on his social media platform Truth Social that he will impose an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports starting March 4, the date on which the 25 percent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada will come into effect. In the post, Trump alleged that fentanyl coming into the US from Mexico and Canada is made and supplied by China, implying this is the reason for the tariff hike.

Trump already imposed a 10 percent tariff on all Chinese goods at the beginning of February, meaning the effective tariff rate would increase to 20 percent.

He also stated that the reciprocal tariffs on goods from all countries, announced on February 13, are scheduled to go into effect on April 2.

In a regular press conference on February 28, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said that the “fentanyl issue is just an excuse the U.S. uses to impose tariffs on, pressure and blackmail China” and that “the fentanyl issue is the U.S.’s own problem”.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Commerce stated that “China will take all necessary countermeasures to defend its legitimate rights and interests”.

February 21, 2025 – Trump signs a memorandum restricting Chinese investment in the US on national security grounds

On Friday, Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM) directing the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to restrict China-affiliated investors from investing in technology, critical infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, energy, raw materials, and other strategic sectors in the US.

The memorandum claims that foreign adversaries, including China, “systematically direct and facilitate investment in United States companies and assets to obtain cutting-edge technologies, intellectual property, and leverage in strategic industries”.

The memorandum also calls for establishing new rules to curb US investment in Chinese industries “that advance the PRC’s national Military-Civil Fusion strategy and stop PRC-affiliated persons from buying up critical American businesses and assets”.

In addition to restrictions on investment in strategic industries, the memorandum also calls for restricting the purchase of farmland and real estate near sensitive facilities. According to a White House Fact Sheet, around 2 percent of all US agricultural land is owned by foreign entities and individuals, and China owns more than 350,000 acres of farmland.

In a statement posted to its website, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce called on the US to “stop politicizing and weaponizing economic and trade issues”, and warned that stricter investment rules would undermine Chinese companies’ confidence in the US market and cause US companies to cede ground to key competitors in China.

February 13, 2025 – Trump signs plan to impose reciprocal tariffs on all trade partners

Trump signed a memorandum on Thursday directing key ministers to implement a plan to impose reciprocal tariffs on all trade partners.

The “Fair and Reciprocal Plan” will examine non-reciprocal trade relationships with all trade partners, including tariffs on US products, unfair, discriminatory, or extraterritorial taxes on US businesses, workers, and consumers (including VAT), nontariff barriers or measures, including subsidies and regulatory requirements, and policies and practices that cause exchange rates to deviate from their market value.

Examples where the US’s trade partners do not provide reciprocal tariffs on American goods cited in a Fact Sheet include a 10 percent tariff imposed by the EU on American imported cars, while the US imposes a 2.5 percent tariff on European imported cars. Should the plan be implemented as intended, tariffs on car imports from the EU will rise to 10 percent.

The tariffs that Trump has imposed on products such as steel and aluminum, as well as the 10 percent tariff placed on Chinese goods, would be in addition to the reciprocal tariffs.

The broad scope of the types of duties and trade barriers targeted by the reciprocal action means further tariffs on Chinese goods could be very extensive. The US has in the past accused China of unfairly subsidizing the production of various goods to the detriment of its domestic industries, and China also imposes VAT on most goods and services ranging from six to 13 percent.

In January of this year, the US Trade Representative released the results of an investigation into China’s shipbuilding subsidies, which concluded that China’s “targeting for dominance burdens or restricts U.S. commerce by undercutting business opportunities for and investments in the U.S. maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors”. The report further stated that “responsive action is appropriate”.

It is also likely that the US’s major trading partners, such as the EU, will impose countermeasures on US goods in response to Trump’s actions.

February 10, 2025 – Trump states he has spoken to Xi Jinping

In an interview with Fox News on Monday, Trump stated that he has spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping “and his people” since the inauguration on January 20, without saying when the talk took place or what was discussed.

Trump added that he “loved talking to him” and that they have “a very good personal relationship”.

The Chinese side has not confirmed when or whether the call took place, and the last confirmed communication between the two leaders was a phone call on January 17.

A White House spokesperson said last week that Trump would speak to Xi Jinping within a few days, but no update has been given on the status of the talks.

February 10, 2025 – Trump announces 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports

On Monday, President Trump signed a proclamation announcing a 25 percent ad valorem tariff on all steel imports into the US and raising tariffs on aluminum imports from 10 to 25 percent. The tariffs will be applicable to imports from all countries and regions “without exception”, and will take effect on March 12.

According to the proclamation, the 25 percent tariff imposed on steel by Trump in 2018 effectively reduced the US’s reliance on imports and increasedthe  consumption of domestic supply. However, the proclamation asserts that various exemptions and alternative agreements negotiated with multiple countries and entities during the Trump and Biden administrations have led to imported steel comprising a proportion of US consumption comparable to levels prior to the initial tariff imposition. Additionally, the proclamation states that there is a “global excess capacity crisis” and that increasing Chinese steel exports in recent years is “displacing production in other countries and forcing them to export greater volumes of steel articles and derivative steel articles to the United States.”

As a result, the US will terminate all agreements and exemptions made with different trade partners and entities, and the 25 percent tariff will be reinstated for all steel imports.

Chinese direct exports of steel to the US are very small, accounting for just 0.8 percent of China’s total steel exports in 2024. However, Chinese steel exports to countries that are major sources for steel imports for the US, such as Vietnam and Canada, accounted for 25.22 percent of China’s total steel exports in 2024, according to Investor.org.cn. As the tariff is effective worldwide, it will indirectly affect Chinese steel re-exports to the US via these third countries, thereby significantly impacting China’s global steel exports.

February 9, 2025 – Trump announces plan to impose 25% steel and aluminum tariff on all trading partners

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump announced he would impose an additional 25 percent tariff on US steel and aluminum imports. The new tariff, which will reportedly be officially announced and take effect on Monday, will be added to all existing duties.

In September 2024, the Biden administration raised the tariff on imports of Chinese steel and aluminum products to 25 percent.

China’s steel and aluminum exports to the US have fallen in recent years and make up a small percentage of China’s overall exports.

In addition to the steel and aluminum tariff, Trump said he would announce global reciprocal tariffs on Tuesday or Wednesday, which would go into effect immediately.

February 7, 2025 – Trump pauses executive action ending de minimis exception

The Trump administration on Friday released an amendment to an Executive Order deferring the end to the de minimis exception after its sudden implementation on February 4 caused chaos at US logistics centers and customs warehouses. An estimated four million packages entered the US per day in 2024 under the de minimis exception, which allows packages under US$800 in value to forego customs inspections and duties.

The amendment states that duty-free de minimis treatment will be available on eligible packages until “adequate systems are in place to fully and expediently process and collect tariff revenue”.

On February 4, the US Postal Service also announced a temporary suspension to international packages from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong but reversed this decision the next day.

February 4, 2024 – US Postal Service suspends all parcels arriving from Mainland China and Hong Kong

In a notice posted to its website on Tuesday, the USPS announced that it will temporarily suspend international packages from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong “until further notice”, effective the same day. Letters and “flats” (large envelopes, newsletters, and magazines) are unaffected.

On February 1, Trump signed an Executive Order which, among other actions, halted the de minimis exemption allowing parcels below US$800 in value to bypass customs inspections and duties when entering the US. The stated reason for halting the exemption is to prevent the import of fentanyl and chemical precursors, which arrive in the US via these types of small packages.

The halting of packages from China will severely affect online retailers such as Shein, Temu, and Amazon, as well as countless smaller retail businesses, whose business models are substantially based on exploiting this loophole. It will also have an immediate impact on American consumers, as millions of parcels that have already been shipped will be stuck in customs for an indeterminate amount of time. An analyst told Reuters that four million de minimis packages arrived in the US per day in 2024.

February 4, 2024 – China imposes tariffs on US imports, implements export controls on rare earths in retaliation to Trump’s tariff hike

Shortly after the Trump administration’s 10 percent additional tariff on Chinese imports took effect, China’s Customs Tariff Commission announced a series of retaliatory tariffs on goods originating from the United States.

These are:

• A 15 percent tariff on coal and liquefied natural gas, and
• A 10 percent tariff on crude oil, agricultural machinery, large-displacement cars, and pickup trucks.

Additionally, corresponding tariffs will be imposed based on current applicable tariff rates. Existing bonded and tax reduction and exemption policies will remain unchanged, and the additional tariffs will not be reduced or exempted. These tariffs are set to take effect on February 10.

In addition to the tariff increase, China’s Ministry of Commerce and Customs Administration announced export controls on 25 rare earth metal items, citing the need to “safeguard national security and interests and fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation.”

The items subject to export controls include various derivations of tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, and molybdenum, critical materials for industries such as electronics, aerospace, and renewable energy.

While the announcement did not explicitly link the export controls to US tariffs, China’s role as one of the largest producers of rare earth metals makes these products a significant bargaining chip in the context of a potential trade war. In an executive order signed on his first day in office, Trump called for “Restoring America’s Mineral Dominance,” which included expanding access to land for mining in the US. He has also pursued efforts to expand access to critical minerals overseas, including threatening to annex Greenland and recently demanding Ukraine provide access to rare earths in exchange for military aid.

Separately, the Trump administration imposed 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico but postponed their implementation by 30 days in both cases following negotiations. However, no such deal has been reached between China and the United States. According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump is expected to speak with President Xi Jinping “in the next couple of days,” according to Reuters.

February 4, 2024 – China announces an antitrust probe into Google, adds two US companies to the Unreliable Entities List

On Tuesday, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced that it has launched an investigation into Google for suspected violations of China’s Anti-Monopoly Law. The statement, published on SAMR’s website, did not provide specific details of the alleged violations. This news was released just one minute after the US’s 10 percent tariffs on Chinese imports took effect.

While Google’s search engine has not operated in China since 2011 and its Gmail service ended in 2014, some Google services and products, such as the Google Chrome browser, are still available in the country.

At the same time as the Google antitrust probe announcement, China’s Ministry of Commerce declared that it is adding two major US companies to its Unreliable Entities List: biotech giant Illumina, Inc. and fashion conglomerate PVH Group, the parent company of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger.

According to the Ministry, the two companies “violated normal market trading principles, interrupted normal transactions with Chinese companies, adopted discriminatory measures against Chinese companies, and seriously damaged the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.”

Placement on the Unreliable Entities List subjects these companies to a range of potential penalties, including import and export restrictions, investment limitations, restrictions or prohibitions on company personnel entering China, revocation of work, stay, or residence permits for foreign staff, and fines.

Illumina has expanded its presence in China in recent years, establishing its first manufacturing site in Shanghai in 2022. Meanwhile, PVH Group has seen strong growth in the Chinese market, citing a 20 percent year-on-year increase in revenue in RMB terms in its 2023 Year in Review.

February 1, 2025 – Trump signs executive order slapping 10% tariff on Chinese imports

President Trump signed an executive order (EO) imposing an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods entering the country, ostensibly to curb the import of fentanyl and other illicit substances. Canada and Mexico were separately hit with 25 percent additional tariffs under the same rationale. The additional tariffs will be levied “until the [illicit drug] crisis is alleviated”, according to a White House Fact Sheet.

The Fact Sheet also accused China of failing “to take the actions necessary to stem the flow of precursor chemicals to known criminal cartels and shut down money laundering by transnational criminal organizations”.

Under the Biden administration, the US and China increased collaboration to tackle the export of fentanyl and precursor chemicals from China to the US, launching the US-China Counternarcotics Working Group in January 2024. The initiative was a key part of the efforts to resume US-China cooperation on a variety of issues following years of diplomatic gridlock and, at the time, was viewed as an easy win for the Biden administration. In April 2024, then US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced the launch of the Joint Treasury-People’s Bank of China Cooperation and Exchange on Anti-Money Laundering. It is unclear whether these efforts will continue under Trump.

In addition to the tariffs, the EOs also announced a halt to the De Minimis exemption, which exempts parcels valued below US$800 from customs inspections and tariffs. The Trump administration has blamed small packages that fall under this threshold for the illegal import of fentanyl and precursor chemicals.

The suspension of the De Minimis exemption could significantly impact Chinese e-commerce giants like Shein and Temu, which have established vast customer bases in the US. Their business models heavily rely on exploiting this loophole by shipping low-value parcels directly from manufacturers in China to American consumers.

The tariffs will go into effect at 00:01 Eastern Time (13:01 China Standard Time) on Tuesday, February 4.

In response to the tariffs, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that China would “take necessary countermeasures to defend its legitimate rights and interests” and that the move violated WTO rules. China’s Ministry of Commerce also stated that it would file a lawsuit with the WTO and threatened to use countermeasures to “safeguard its own rights and interests”.

January 22, 2025 – Trump threatens 10% tariff on China over Fentanyl from Feb 1

On January 22, 2025, during a White House event, President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports as soon as February 1, citing concerns over fentanyl shipments. He accused China of sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada, which he claimed was then trafficked into the United States. In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated during a routine press briefing that China firmly opposes trade wars and tariff measures, emphasizing that “there are no winners in trade wars, and China will resolutely safeguard its national interests.”

January 20, 2025 – Trump’s second term begins with a focus on US-China trade relations

President Donald Trump marked the start of his second term with a broad trade policy directive, prioritizing a methodical review of the United States’ trade relationships, including a sharp focus on China. While no immediate tariffs were announced, the administration signaled its intention to evaluate Beijing’s adherence to the 2020 trade agreement and address trade imbalances.

Key developments include:

• Trade memo announcement: The memo, issued shortly after Trump’s inauguration, directs federal agencies to scrutinize trade deficits and unfair practices by major trading partners, with China being a key focus.
• 2020 trade deal under review: Trump’s directive includes assessing China’s compliance with the 2020 deal, which required Beijing to increase purchases of US goods by US$200 billion annually—a commitment largely unmet due to the pandemic.
• Avoiding immediate tariffs: Contrary to campaign rhetoric promising steep tariffs on Chinese imports, the administration appears to be taking a more strategic approach. Analysts suggest this could calm financial markets in the short term.
• Universal tariff expected: Trade experts believe Trump remains committed to imposing a global tariff as part of his economic agenda. The administration is expected to invoke statutes like Section 232 or Section 301 for future trade actions. Trump’s measured approach to tariffs suggests a possible window for negotiations, but the administration’s broader goals—such as pushing China to fulfill its trade commitments—may lead to renewed tensions. The directive reinforces the administration’s intent to hold China accountable for practices perceived as unfair, maintaining pressure in line with Trump’s first-term trade strategy.

This measured start to Trump’s second term reflects his administration’s continued focus on reshaping US-China trade ties, signaling challenges ahead for the bilateral relationship.

January 20, 2025 – Trump signs executive action to delay the TikTok ban for 75 days

On January 20, 2025, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order to delay the enforcement of a TikTok ban for an additional 75 days.

Under the terms of the executive order, the U.S. Department of Justice will refrain from enforcing the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which was passed with broad bipartisan support in Congress and signed into law by former President Joe Biden in April 2024. The Act required TikTok to either sell its U.S. operations to an American or allied buyer or face a ban, effective January 19, 2025.

Prior to his inauguration, Trump had pledged on social media to take executive action to prevent the law from taking effect. Following this announcement, TikTok restored access for existing users after the app had been offline for more than 12 hours from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon.

It remains unclear whether TikTok will be able to continue operating in the U.S. after the 75-day delay. However, the extension provides TikTok’s China-based parent, ByteDance, with additional time to secure a potential buyer for the platform at least.

January 20, 2025 – Trump comments on reclaiming the Panama Canal, references manifest destiny for space exploration

On January 20, 2025, newly inaugurated President Donald Trump stated that the United States would take back control of the Panama Canal. During his inauguration speech, Trump reiterated his accusation that Panama had broken promises made during the 1999 transfer of the canal and had allegedly allowed China to gain influence over its operation. He remarked, “We didn’t give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back.” Although he did not specify when or how the US would pursue this goal, he previously suggested that military action could be a possibility, a comment that has drawn attention from both supporters and critics.

Trump’s statement on the Panama Canal was part of a wider discussion of his views on US territorial expansion. He invoked the concept of “Manifest Destiny,” historically associated with 19th-century US territorial expansion, and linked it to future goals for space exploration, specifically stating that the US would eventually aim to land astronauts on Mars. Some critics have expressed concerns that such rhetoric might encourage other countries, like Russia and China, to pursue more assertive actions in their respective geopolitical situations. Others have speculated that Trump’s statements may be a strategic move to set a strong negotiating position.

In his speech, Trump also reiterated plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and expressed dissatisfaction with the transfer of the Panama Canal, calling it a “foolish gift.” His administration’s criticisms are based on claims of unfair treatment, particularly regarding shipping costs, though Panama has denied any unfair practices and emphasized that all vessels are treated equally, including those from China. While China does not control the canal itself, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings manages two ports near the canal’s Caribbean and Pacific entrances, which has been a point of contention in US-China relations.

The Panama Canal is a crucial waterway for both global trade and the US, playing a key role in the transportation of goods from Asia and in the export of US energy resources. Following Trump’s remarks, Panama’s maritime authority announced an audit of the Panama Ports Company, which manages the ports near the canal.

January 20, 2025 – Elon Musk and China’s Vice President meet ahead of Trump’s second term

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s meeting with China’s Vice President Han Zheng in Washington, D.C., ahead of Donald Trump’s second-term inauguration, has sparked fresh speculation about Musk’s role in shaping US-China relations. According to Chinese state media, Han invited US firms, including Tesla, to deepen investments in China and strengthen economic ties. Musk reportedly reaffirmed Tesla’s commitment to expanding cooperation with China, a vital market that accounts for nearly a quarter of the company’s revenue and hosts its most productive manufacturing hub in Shanghai.

The timing of the meeting, alongside broader discussions with US business leaders, suggests China’s intent to stabilize relations with the US while maintaining economic partnerships. Musk, whose business interests are deeply tied to China, has been described as a potential intermediary between the Trump administration and the Chinese government. This comes amid unresolved tensions over trade and technology, including speculation around Musk’s involvement in a possible TikTok joint venture.

As Trump prepares to recalibrate trade policies, the meeting underscores the critical intersection of business diplomacy and geopolitics in US-China relations.

About Us

China Briefing is one of five regional Asia Briefing publications, supported by Dezan Shira & Associates. For a complimentary subscription to China Briefing’s content products, please click here.

Dezan Shira & Associates assists foreign investors into China and has done so since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. We also have offices in Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, United States, Germany, Italy, India, and Dubai (UAE) and partner firms assisting foreign investors in The Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Australia. For assistance in China, please contact the firm at [e-mail] or visit our website at www.dezshira.com.