China could target US farmers in response to Trump’s trade tariffs

With President Donald Trump set to impose tariffs on the United States’ top three trading partners, China has vowed retaliation, which state media says could include agricultural products.

Newsweek reached out to the White House via email with a request for comment.

Why It Matters

Starting Tuesday, Chinese goods will be subject to an additional 10 percent tariff hike, on top of the one Trump introduced last month, citing the need to curb the flow of the deadly opioid fentanyl into the U.S.

Canada and Mexico will see duties on most of their products raised to 25 percent, with a lower 10-percent tariff on Canadian energy exports. Both countries were granted a last-minute reprieve from tariffs last month after pledging to commit more resources to securing their borders with the U.S.

Tariffs are taxes on imported goods, typically paid by the importing businesses, which can then pass costs onto consumers through higher prices. The importing business could be any American company that purchases goods from foreign suppliers and brings them into the country for resale, manufacturing, or distribution. Tariffs are often used to protect domestic industries by making foreign goods more expensive and encouraging consumers to buy locally.

What To Know

China, a major source of ingredients used to manufacture fentanyl in North America, maintains it has cracked down on the industry and criticized Washington, D.C., for “shifting the blame” rather than solving its own drug problems.

“If the U.S. insists on imposing unilateral tariffs and formally announces relevant measures, China will definitely carry out strong, powerful countermeasures,” the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said Friday.

This response is likely to include tariffs and other measures, with farm and food products “most likely” to be listed, according to the Global Times, a daily newspaper owned by the Chinese Communist Party, on Monday. The newspaper cited a source familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

A reduction in Chinese imports of U.S. agricultural goods could lead to falling revenues for farmers, affecting the broader agricultural economy.

Trump introduced duties on hundreds of billions worth or Chinese goods during his first term, citing unfair trade practices and a yawning trade deficit.

Beijing, which has struggled to regain economic momentum amid a housing crisis and tepid consumer confidence, says escalating the trade tiff will worsen inflation for American consumers—a scenario Trump ruled out last month.

What People Are Saying

President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday: “We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA, and therefore, until it stops, or is seriously limited, the proposed tariffs scheduled to go into effect on March 4th will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled.

Stephen Roach, senior fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, wrote on Substack last week: “Nevertheless, there is little doubt that China remains in Trump’s crosshairs […] the president just added another 10 percent to U.S. tariffs on China—a move that will undoubtedly provoke further retaliation from Beijing.”

What Happens Next?

Trump has announced additional tariffs in the coming weeks, including a 25 percent duty on all foreign aluminum and steel on March 12.

He has also pledged a 25 percent tariff hike on European Union (EU) car exports for next month, claiming the trade bloc “was formed to screw the United States.” The EU imposes a 10-percent duty on American cars.