Key Points:
Trump imposes a 100% tariff on all Chinese imports effective November 1, 2025.
The decision follows China’s expansion of export restrictions on critical rare earth minerals.
The tariffs could disrupt global supply chains and raise production costs
President Donald Trump announced on October 10, 2025, that the United States will impose an additional 100% tariff on all Chinese goods, effective November 1, 2025, or sooner if Beijing escalates its trade actions. The move comes one day after the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, bypassing Trump despite his vocal claims to the honour.
Trump made the tariff declaration on Truth Social, framing it as a direct response to China's recent expansion of export restrictions on rare earth minerals. Trump's tariff decision targets China's controls on critical minerals, which Beijing announced on October 9.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce added five rare earth elements—holmium, erbium, thulium, europium, and ytterbium—to its export restriction list, raising the total to 12 out of 17 types. These materials support industries from electronics and electric vehicles to defence systems.
China also extended curbs to production technologies for semiconductors and overseas applications, along with restrictions on lithium batteries and graphite anode materials. Officials stated the measures safeguard national security and prevent use in military or sensitive fields.
The controls require special approval for exports of any products containing trace amounts of these elements and take effect between November and December 2025.
In his Truth Social post, Trump accused China of global aggression. "It has just been learned that China has taken an extraordinarily aggressive position on Trade in sending an extremely hostile letter to the World, stating that they were going to, effective November 1st, 2025, impose large scale Export Controls on virtually every product they make, and some not even made by them," he wrote.
He described the action as a long-planned strategy with sweeping consequences for all nations, calling it "unheard of in international trade" and a "moral disgrace." Trump then outlined the U.S. response.
"Based on the fact that China has taken this unprecedented position, and speaking only for the U.S.A., and not other Nations who were similarly threatened, starting November 1st, 2025 (or sooner, depending on any further actions or changes taken by China), the United States of America will impose a Tariff of 100% on China, over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying."
He added, "Also on November 1st, we will impose Export Controls on any and all critical software." The tariffs apply in addition to existing duties, potentially doubling costs on Chinese imports. Trump emphasized that the U.S. would act independently, even as other countries face similar impacts from China's moves. Beijing has not yet responded to the announcement.
The developments strain U.S.-China relations ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in South Korea later this month. Trump addressed questions about his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a White House appearance on October 10.
He confirmed the meeting had not been cancelled but expressed uncertainty. "No, I haven't cancelled. However, I'm not sure if we'll have it. I'll be there regardless. I would assume we might have it. However, they hit the world with something. It was shocking. Out of the blue, they came up with this whole import-export concept, and nobody knew anything about it," he said.
When reporters asked if he would revoke the tariffs if China lifted its export controls, Trump replied that he would "have to see what happens." "That's why I made it November 1," he noted. Earlier, he had told reporters there was "no reason to meet" Xi after Beijing's announcement, which he labelled "very hostile," and warned of "strong countermeasures." [Rh/Eth/VS]
Suggested Reading: