China attacked the US Achilles heel for exports to the Asian country: agricultural products. They don’t reach 33% that can shake China, but are a response of “discontent.”
China announced this Tuesday that will impose tariffs additional 15% and Restrict exports to 15 US companies.
Restrictions begin on March 10, and arise as a result of the application of additional US fares, which are already in force and should reach 33%.
Now US agricultural products that enter China, including corn and soy, will be subject to new rates of 15% and 10%. Chicken, wheat, corn and cotton are other products that will suffer an extra 15%tariff. Pork, cow meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables increase rates 10%.
“I would like to reiterate that the Chinese people Never was afraid of evil, does not believe in ghosts And it has never been intimidated, ”said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian.
And the Ministry of Commerce was really the “Achilles heel”: Agricultural products are what the Chinese matter most from the US. According to, in 2024 China imported $ 24.7 billion (23.5 billion euros) in US agricultural products, or 14% of its $ 176 billion in total agricultural exports.
Frederique Carrier, analyst, explains that “commercial wars lead to the risk of retaliation and climbing – and certainly in the case of China and potentially in the case of Canada and Mexico, which will also face tariffs today … We expect some answer.”
Says this may be “an answer that may not exactly be a response to height, but an answer directed to show the discontent that these countries are feeling when they receive the rates. ”
“The US They expect to get a trade agreement with China In the end, ”says Sun Chenghao, professor of international relations in Beijing. “In the long run, it is possible for China and the US to continue to negotiate, but the current atmosphere is not good.”
CAROLINA BASTOS PEREIRA, ZAP //
