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China retaliates with 84 per cent tariffs on US goods as Trump trade war escalates

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China unveiled retaliatory tariffs of 84% on imports of US goods on Wednesday, matching additional tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump earlier in the day and further inflaming a trade war between the world’s two biggest economies.

Trump’s sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs took effect earlier on Wednesday. China was the hardest-hit nation with a levy now totaling at least 104% on all its goods. The two countries have been involved in a game of tit-for-tat on trade, with Beijing standing firmly against each new tariff introduced by Washington.

“The US escalation of tariffs on China is a mistake upon mistake, severely infringing upon China’s legitimate rights and interests, and seriously damaging the multilateral trading system based on rules,” China’s State Council Tariff Commission said in a statement announcing the fresh levy.

The amped-up retaliation comes after China repeatedly warned that it would “fight to the end” if the US moved forward with further tariffs. On Wednesday, Trump’s additional levies on Chinese imports had originally been set to increase by 34 percentage points.

But the president tacked on another 50 percentage points after Beijing refused to back down from the standoff. Prior to the latest rounds of escalation, Trump had already imposed 20% levies on China since his return to the White House.

In addition to the increased levy, China’s Commerce Ministry imposed export controls on 12 American companies, barring Chinese companies from supplying them with dual-use items that have both military and civilian applications.

It also added six more US firms to its “unreliable entity list,” banning them from trading or making new investments in China, and filed a complaint to the World Trade Organization over the latest US tariffs.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has shrugged off China’s retaliatory move, telling Fox Business on Wednesday that it is unfortunate that China does not “want to come and negotiate” a tariff deal. He called China the “worst offenders in the international trading system.”

“They have the most imbalanced economy in the history of the modern world, and I can tell you that this escalation is a loser for them … They’re the surplus country,” Bessent said. China’s “exports to the US are five times our exports to China. So, they can raise their tariffs. But so what?”

Bracing for impact
As Trump escalated his tariff war, the message from the Chinese government, state media and opinion leaders alike has been one of defiance, voicing their determination to strike back while leaving the door open for negotiation.

Shortly after the latest round kicked in on Wednesday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson told reporters that US needed to “demonstrate an attitude of equality, respect and mutual benefit” if it truly wanted to resolve the trade war through dialogue.

China also released a white paper on its trade and economic ties with the US, saying that relations had been damaged by the “unilateral and protectionist measures” taken by Washington.

In a written Q&A about the white paper, an unnamed Commerce Ministry official emphasized that China does not want a trade war, but said Beijing would “never sit idly by” while the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese people are “harmed or stripped away.”

“If the US insists on further escalating trade restrictions, China has the firm will and ample tools to take resolute countermeasures — and will see it through to the end,” said the official.

Despite the defiant tone and calibrated confidence, China is bracing for impact to its export sector, which has been a bright spot in its otherwise slowing economy. Last year, trade between the US and China totaled roughly half a trillion dollars.

The successive rounds of tariffs come as China has reveled in a feeling of greater economic vitality following years of grappling with a crisis in the property sector, high local government debt and the fallout from Beijing’s pandemic controls.

Last month, the Chinese government announced a slew of measures to rev up domestic consumption as it anticipated the impact from Trump’s trade policy on its export-powered growth.

Source: Graphic Online

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24-Hour Economy Authority Secures Over $8 Billion in Investment Agreements in 90 Days

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The Ghana 24-Hour Economy Authority has announced that it has secured bankable investment agreements worth more than $8 billion within the last 90 days, a development officials say demonstrates growing investor confidence in the government’s flagship 24-Hour Economy initiative.

The disclosure was made by the Chief Export Development Officer of the Ghana 24-Hour Economy Authority, Gabriel Opoku-Asare, during a roundtable discussion on the theme, “Unlocking Africa’s Single Market: How Can Ghanaian Businesses Win Under AfCFTA?” on Channel One TV as part of the Citi Business Festival held on Thursday, June 11, 2026.

According to Mr. Opoku-Asare, the agreements underscore the government’s commitment to attracting private sector investment to drive the implementation of the 24-Hour Economy agenda, rather than relying extensively on public funding.

He explained that the strategy is designed to reduce pressure on the country’s public finances while accelerating industrial growth and the development of strategic economic corridors across Ghana.

“We are enabling private capital in the development of all the projects we are talking about and the economic corridors we are building. Once private capital comes in, our work is coordination and enabling investment, so it is not sitting on sovereign debt. That is very important to ensure permanence in the long term,” he stated.

Mr. Opoku-Asare noted that the Authority is increasingly focusing on facilitating and coordinating private investments instead of directly financing projects with government resources, a move he believes will enhance the long-term sustainability of the programme.

He further emphasised that the signing of investment agreements exceeding $8 billion within a relatively short period highlights strong investor interest and confidence in the direction of the 24-Hour Economy programme.

“I’ve spoken about, in the last 90 days, all the bankable agreements that we’ve signed already, which is like over $8 billion,” he added.

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BoG Halts Proposed Charges on MoMo-to-Bank Transfers

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The Bank of Ghana has directed Mobile Money Fintech Limited to suspend its planned 0.75 per cent charge on direct mobile money wallet-to-bank account transfers.

The proposed fee, which was expected to take effect from June 1, 2026, has been put on hold to allow for further stakeholder consultations, the central bank announced on Tuesday, May 26.

The directive follows a notice issued by MTN Ghana on Monday, May 25, informing customers that transfers from MoMo wallets to bank accounts would attract a 0.75 per cent fee per transaction, capped at GH₵5.

Under the proposed arrangement, customers would have been charged even when transferring funds from their own registered MoMo wallet to their personal bank account — a service that has so far been offered free of charge.

In a statement, the Bank of Ghana explained that the suspension forms part of efforts to ensure that any adjustments to charges within the mobile financial services space are implemented in a fair and transparent manner, while safeguarding consumer interests and financial well-being.

For the time being, customers will continue to enjoy free transfers from MoMo wallets to bank accounts, as the proposed charges remain suspended.

The central bank further clarified that existing charges on MoMo wallet-to-wallet transfers, as well as cash-in and cash-out transactions at agent points, remain unchanged.

MTN Ghana is yet to officially respond to the Bank of Ghana’s directive.

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MTN Ghana Introduces Charges on MoMo-to-Bank Transfers from June 1

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MTN Ghana has announced that Mobile Money users will begin paying charges for transfers from their MoMo wallets to bank accounts effective June 1, 2026, ending years of free transfers for customers moving funds between their own accounts.

In a text message sent to subscribers on Monday evening, May 25, the telecommunications company disclosed that all MoMo-to-bank transfers will now attract a fee of 0.75 per cent per transaction, capped at GH₵5.

Under the new pricing structure, customers transferring GH₵100 from their MoMo wallet to a bank account will pay 75 pesewas, while transfers of GH₵667 and above will attract the maximum charge of GH₵5.

The fee will apply to all bank transfers, including transactions involving bank accounts belonging to the same individual who owns the MoMo wallet. Previously, MTN customers enjoyed free transfers when moving funds between their personally registered MoMo wallets and bank accounts.

According to the company, the move forms part of efforts to improve service delivery to its growing customer base.

“From 1 June 2026, transfers from your MoMo Wallet to bank accounts will attract a fee of 0.75% per transaction, capped at GH₵5. This will help us continue to serve you better. Thank you for choosing MoMo,” the message to customers stated.

The development marks a significant change in MTN Ghana’s mobile financial service charges, particularly for customers who frequently transfer money from MoMo wallets into bank accounts for business and personal transactions.

However, the company clarified that the new charge applies only to transfers from MoMo wallets to bank accounts. Existing charges for MoMo-to-MoMo transfers, as well as cash-in and cash-out transactions at agent points, remain unchanged.

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