US President Donald Trump said he is considering 10 per cent tariffs on imports from China, starting on February 1, as a penalty for the flow of fentanyl, which is responsible for thousands of deaths in the US annually.
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“We’re talking about a tariff of 10 per cent on China, based on the fact that they’re sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada,” Trump said in his first press conference after his inauguration on Tuesday.
Trump said after his swearing-in on Monday that he is considering 25 per cent tariffs on the US’ two North American neighbours, also to start on February 1, to push them to stop shipments of the opioid from coming into the US, but did not mention China.
The new US leader did not announce any tariffs on China on his inauguration day, despite earlier vows to do so on his first day in office. Instead, he directed federal agencies to investigate China’s “unfair trade practices” as one of his priorities under his goal to “overhaul the US trade system to protect American workers and families”.
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Donald Trump goes light on China on Day 1, except where the Panama Canal is concerned
Donald Trump goes light on China on Day 1, except where the Panama Canal is concerned
Trump added in the press conference that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom he invited to his inauguration, “didn’t talk much” about the tariffs during their call on Friday, adding that Xi knows “where I stand”.
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On Friday, Xi and Trump spoke by phone, marking their first call since 2020. They discussed contentious issues from trade to fentanyl, with both indicating a willingness to address strains in bilateral ties.