China Hikes Tariffs on US Goods to 125%, Declares Imports No Longer Viable

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Friday April 11, 2025

China has sharply raised tariffs on US imports from 84% to 125%, effective Saturday, in a pointed response to the Trump administration's move to increase tariffs on Chinese goods to 145%.

Beijing declared that at such levels, American products are "no longer viable" in the Chinese market, signalling a hardening stance in the ongoing trade standoff.

"If the US continues to impose tariffs on Chinese goods exported to the US, China will ignore it," the Chinese State Council Tariff Commission announced on Friday.

The intensifying trade war between the world's two largest economies is expected to have far-reaching consequences, particularly for global trade flows and shipping.

"From a container shipping perspective, we should expect to see a significant number of blank sailings from China to the US," Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime, wrote in a recent LinkedIn post.

He added that this disruption will ripple across Asia, "some will see blank sailings as well when services call on multiple countries in addition to China."

With trade volumes likely to shrink, the ripple effects are expected to reach the bunkering market too. Bunkering demand in both countries could see a noticeable decline as fewer ships make the trans-Pacific voyage.

Ship & Bunker News Team
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