China has responded to President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs by implementing a 34% tariff on all American imports, starting April 10.

The Details: The new double-digit tariff is a direct retaliation to Trump's 34% tariff on Chinese exports, including a 20% levy earlier this year. As part of its retaliatory measures, China has imposed stricter export controls on certain key rare materials used in high-tech products. This includes seven rare earth elements, which are critical for manufacturing computer chips and electric vehicle batteries. China also announced two trade investigations into American exports of medical imaging equipment, a sector where the US remains internationally competitive.

For Context: China's retaliatory measures are seen as a signal that it will not back down in the face of Trump's trade policies. The trade war also disrupted the stock market, leading to the biggest one-day drop since 2020, sparking debate over whether the tariffs will be beneficial for the US economy in the long run.

How The Media Covered It: The New York Times (Lean Left bias) suggested China's response shows it has no intention of backing down in the face of Trump's aggressive trade policies, noting China's retaliatory tariffs will hit fewer goods than Trump’s tariffs because China sells far more to the US than it buys. The Washington Post (Lean Left) looked at how China is seeking to extend its global influence in the upheaval of Trump's tariffs by offering 'trauma bonding' with US partners, reporting that China has been courting US allies who are stunned and disappointed by the US tariff hikes. Fox Business (Lean Right) and New York Post (Lean Right) focused primarily on the facts of the tariffs.

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