China has announced a 15% tariff on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal imports from the United States, in retaliation for new U.S. trade measures.
The Ministry of Finance in Beijing disclosed on Tuesday that the tariffs will take effect on February 10. Additionally, a 10% tariff will be imposed on U.S. oil and agricultural machinery imports.
Beijing also revealed plans to launch an antitrust investigation into U.S. tech giant Google, further escalating tensions between the two economic superpowers.
The move follows Washington’s decision to impose a 10% tariff on all Chinese imports, which was set to take effect just after midnight on Tuesday (0500 GMT). U.S. President Donald Trump had ordered the tariffs on Saturday as part of his administration’s broader trade policy.
Meanwhile, Trump temporarily suspended similar tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico after reaching last-minute agreements with both countries. However, no such deal has been reached with China.
Despite the escalating trade dispute, Trump indicated on Monday that negotiations with Chinese officials were expected to take place within 24 hours.
Trump, who won re-election in November, had pledged to impose steep tariffs on foreign goods, continuing a trade strategy that saw multiple duties implemented during his first term from 2017 to 2021.
