India, China should stand together, Chinese official says amid US tariff challenge

In an X post, Yu Jing, spokesperson, Chinese Embassy to India, said: "China is a firm defender of economic globalization and multilateralism, which has injected strong impetus into the world economy, contributing to around 30 percent of global growth annually on average. We will continue to work with the rest of the world to safeguard the multilateral trade system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core."

"China-India economic and trade relationship is based on complimentarity and mutual benefit. Facing the U.S. abuse of tariffs, which deprives countries, especially Global South countries, of their right to development, the two largest developing countries should stand together to overcome the difficulties," she said.

"Trade and tariff wars have no winners. All countries should uphold the principles of extensive consultation, practice true multilateralism, jointly oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism," she said.

US imposes 104 percent tariff on Chinese goods

The United States has officially imposed a massive 104 per cent tariff on Chinese imports, triggering tension in the already deteriorated relationship between the world's two largest economies.

The US move might hit troubled global markets, which have witnessed massive falls in recent days since President Trump announced reciprocal tariffs.

President Donald Trump is set to impose an astounding 104% in levies across all Chinese imports on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Tuesday as quoted by CNN.

Ass part of Trump's reciprocal tariff package, China was already set to see a tariff hike of 34 percent.

However, Trump added an additional 50 percent tariff when China did not back out from its promise to impose 34 percent retaliatory tariffs on US goods by noon Tuesday.

The US had previously imposed 20 percent tariff on China in March.

Speaking on the latest moves announced by the USA, Karoline Leavitt wrote on X: "Countries like China who retaliate and try to double down on their mistreatment of America are making a gigantic mistake."

" President Trump has a spine of steel. America will not bend, and we will not break under his leadership," she said.

She further said, " President Trump is guided by a firm belief that America must be able to produce essential goods for our own people and export them to the rest of the world."

Trump's sweeping reciprocal tariffs

Triggering almost a global trade war, Trump last week announced tariffs of at least 10 percent on almost all goods from other countries, plus even higher rates for many nations, including friends, but deemed to be “worst offenders”.

Addressing an audience in the Rose Gardens of the White House, including rows of construction helmet-wearing workers, Trump had said, “The tariffs will not be fully reciprocal. I could have done that, I guess. But it would have been tough for a lot of countries."

Apart from China, Trump announced a reciprocal tariff of 26 percent on India and 20 percent on the European Union, among others.