US President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose a 100 percent tariff on Chinese products starting 1 November 2025.
This decision comes after China said it would introduce strict export controls on rare earth minerals—materials used in things like phones, computers, and electric vehicles.
Trump made the announcement on his social media platform, Truth Social, saying China’s move was “hostile” and a “moral disgrace”. He accused China of planning to block trade in many key materials, which could affect countries around the world.
The Chinese government had recently added more rare earth minerals to its list of restricted exports. These materials are very important for making modern technology and are used in things like military equipment and microchips.
Trump’s response has sparked fears of a new trade war between the world’s two biggest economies. Stock markets in the US fell sharply on Friday after Trump’s posts, with big companies like Amazon and Target losing value.
Trump also said he no longer sees a reason to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit later this month in South Korea. The meeting had been planned as part of a wider visit to Asia.
The US government has already been working to produce more rare earths at home. It has invested $400 million in MP Materials, the country’s only rare earth producer, but experts say it could still take time to reduce dependence on China.
Both China and the US have been increasing restrictions on each other’s products for months. The situation has many people worried that global trade could be seriously affected, especially as the holiday shopping season approaches.
