Trump Defends 155% Tariffs as Fair Repayment for China’s Unfair Trade Practices

Washington: Former US President Donald Trump has defended his administration’s decision to impose 155% tariffs on Chinese goods starting November 1, describing the move as a long-overdue response to decades of unfair trade practices by Beijing. He maintained that while he wants cordial relations with china, the harsh measures are necessary to safeguard American economic interests.

Speaking to reporters, Trump confirmed that Washington will proceed with the new tariff regime, even as China remains Russia’s largest oil supplier. “China will currently be subject to roughly 155% tariffs as of November 1st,” Trump said. “I don’t think it’s sustainable for them.”

The announcement came after he was asked whether the United States would consider additional economic sanctions against China amid concerns about Beijing’s trade policies and its continued trade with Moscow.

“We’ve Been Exploited for Decades”

Trump argued that successive American administrations had allowed China to exploit US markets. “I want to treat China kindly,” he said. “However, China has been very unforgiving to us for years because our leaders lacked business understanding. They allowed China and other countries to take advantage of us.”

He said the tariffs were a key tool in his earlier trade negotiations with allies, helping secure better deals with the European Union, Japan, and South Korea. “I reached an agreement with the EU. I struck deals with South Korea and Japan — many of them fantastic. National security is at stake, and I used tariffs as leverage,” Trump said. “We’re getting hundreds of billions, even trillions, of dollars paid into the United States… We’ll start paying off debt.”

Trump Announces Additional 100% Tariff on Chinese Imports

In a dramatic escalation, Trump revealed plans to introduce an additional 100% tariff on all Chinese imports, effective November 1, which will apply “over and above existing duties.” He said the decision was a direct response to China’s “extraordinarily aggressive” stance on trade.

“It has just been learned that China has taken an extraordinarily aggressive position on trade,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “They sent an extremely hostile letter to the world, stating that they will, effective November 1, 2025, impose large-scale export controls on virtually every product they make — and even on some they don’t.”

Part of Trump’s ‘Secondary Tariff’ Strategy

The new tariff policy is part of Trump’s broader ‘secondary tariff’ strategy, which targets countries indirectly supporting Russia’s wartime economy through energy exports. Earlier this year, the US government imposed a 50% tariff on India for its continued purchases of Russian oil.

By tightening trade restrictions on China, the largest importer of Russian petroleum, Washington signals its determination to apply economic pressure on multiple fronts — both to punish Moscow’s allies and to reassert America’s trade dominance globally.

US-China Trade Relations at a Crossroads

The latest tariff announcement marks another chapter in the tense US-China trade relationship that has defined global markets for over a decade. Analysts suggest that while Trump’s aggressive trade measures could disrupt global supply chains, they also reflect rising bipartisan sentiment in Washington to counter Beijing’s growing economic influence.

As the November 1 implementation date approaches, both countries are expected to engage in backchannel negotiations, but the likelihood of a quick resolution remains low. The move also underscores how trade and national security are increasingly intertwined in global diplomacy.

Conclusion

Trump’s defense of the 155% tariffs — and his additional 100% tariff announcement — highlights his uncompromising stance on China and his efforts to frame economic confrontation as a matter of national pride and repayment for “unfair treatment.” Whether the new measures will strengthen America’s position or strain global trade relations further remains to be seen as the US and China enter yet another phase of their complex economic rivalry.