China introduces import tariffs on several US products
The Chinese government is reacting to the tariffs on imports from China, which were ordered by US President Trump. Coal and liquefied gas are among those affected.
China is introducing new import tariffs on certain US products. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced that a 15 percent tariff would be levied on coal and liquefied gas from February 10. A rate of ten percent will apply to crude oil and some industrial products.
“The unilateral increase in tariffs by the USA is a serious violation of the rules of the World Trade Organization,” wrote the Chinese Ministry of Commerce in its statement. Trump’s measure is damaging economic cooperation between China and the USA.
China also filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the United States: The US tariffs “seriously violate the rules of the World Trade Organization, do nothing to solve its own problems (the USA) and disrupt normal economic and trade cooperation,” wrote the ministry.
China takes action against US companies.
At the same time, the Chinese competition authority launched antitrust proceedings against the US company Google, the Ministry of Commerce announced. China’s competition authority accuses Google of violating the anti-monopoly law.
According to the ministry, two other US companies also ended up on a grey list: the clothing group PVH, which owns the brands Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, and the biotechnology group Illumina are now listed as “unreliable companies”. They are said to have “violated the principles of trade by interrupting their business with Chinese companies and taking discriminatory measures against them”. China had already launched an investigation into PVH in September for an “inappropriate boycott” of cotton from Xinjiang. China is accused of systematically oppressing minorities such as the Uighurs there.
The background to this is new US customs measures. President Donald Trump signed a decree on Saturday that provides for an additional ten percent tariff on Chinese goods. This regulation has been in effect since this Tuesday. China had already announced “countermeasures”. At the same time, Trump announced imminent negotiations with China.
