Trump's Tariff Measures on Various Trading Partners in 2025
I. Tariffs on China
- Base Tariffs
- In February 2025, the U.S. imposed a 10% base tariff on all Chinese goods, citing "fentanyl supply chain issues," and eliminated the $800 de minimis exemption for low-value shipments.
- On April 2, an additional 34% tariff was announced, citing "trade deficit ratios," bringing the total tariff rate to 54%.
- On April 9, amid escalating retaliatory measures by China, Trump declared a total tariff rate of 125% on Chinese imports, effective immediately.
- Countermeasures and Retaliation
- On April 8, China raised tariffs on U.S. goods from 34% to 84%.
- On April 10, China expanded retaliatory measures to cover agriculture, energy, and automobiles.
II. Tariffs on Mexico and Canada
- Base Tariffs
- On March 4, 2025, the U.S. imposed 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods, triggering immediate backlash.
- Subsequent Escalations
- On March 11, Trump raised tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50% in retaliation for Ontario’s electricity tax on U.S. consumers.
- On March 12, Canada announced $29.8 billion in retaliatory tariffs and filed a WTO complaint.
- On April 2, the U.S. Senate passed legislation to terminate 25% tariffs on Canadian imports (no mention of Mexico).
III. Tariffs on the European Union
- Steel and Aluminum Tariffs
- In March 2025, the U.S. imposed 25% tariffs on EU steel and aluminum.
- The EU responded with a €26 billion retaliatory list, threatening 200% tariffs on wine and champagne.
- Automobile Tariffs
- The EU warned that U.S. tariffs would fuel inflation and disrupt global supply chains.
IV. Tariffs on Other Countries
- Global Base Tariff
- On April 2, Trump signed an executive order imposing a 10% "minimum baseline tariff" on all trading partners, including a 34% tariff on China (on top of an existing 20% tariff, totaling 54%).
- On April 9, he threatened a 50% tariff if China did not rescind the 34% tariff by April 8.
- On April 10, Trump suspended "reciprocal tariffs" on 75 countries for 90 days but raised the tariff rate on China to 125%.
- Impact on India and Others
- Indian netizens lamented that while China stood firm, India avoided retaliation due to fear of U.S. reprisals, highlighting a "high tariff, low posture" dilemma.
Consequences and Implications
- Economic Shocks
- Goldman Sachs models predict a 2.3% increase in U.S. core CPI from a 125% tariff on China, pushing federal funds rates toward a dangerous 7.5%.
- U.S. food prices rose 6.8% YoY in April 2025, with dairy up 11.2%.
- Global Supply Chain Reshuffling
- Chinese sellers are diversifying into Southeast Asia and Latin America. BYD is building 12 industrial parks near the U.S.-Mexico border, while Tesla plans to relocate Model Y production from Shanghai to Vietnam.
- Overseas warehouse demand surged as logistics firms stockpiled inventory to evade tariffs.
- Legal and Diplomatic Fronts
- China filed a WTO complaint against U.S. violations and released a white paper exposing unilateralism, rallying international support.
- Over 40 countries backed China, marking the first unified stance by the Global South in a major trade dispute.
Future Outlook
- Escalating Conflict
- Trump may expand tariffs to digital services and intellectual property.
- Global supply chains will regionalize, with RCEP, EU carbon border taxes, and other rules reshaping trade.
- Reordering Global Order
- The IMF warns that prolonged tariffs could cut global growth below 2% in 2025.
- Digital yuan cross-border settlements, ASEAN manufacturing dominance, and "de-dollarization" are rewriting economic hegemony.
This tariff storm is reshaping the global economy and exposing the fragility of unipolarity. Logistics firms must pivot from traditional freight forwarders to supply chain solution providers, leveraging technology and compliance to navigate new opportunities under RCEP and other regional agreements.
