China has said it is imposing tariffs on a number of US products, while an antitrust investigation into Google was also announced.
ADVERTISEMENTChina announced on Tuesday it was implementing tariffs on a number of US products, as well as launching an antitrust investigation into US company Google. The announcements came on the same day US President Donald Trump's 10% blanket tariffs on Chinese products were set to take effect.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said it would impose a 15% tariff on coal and liquified natural gas (LNG) products, as well as a 10% tariff on crude oil, farm equipment and large-displacement cars.
“The US’ unilateral tariff increase seriously violates the rules of the World Trade Organisation,” the ministry's statement said. “It is not only unhelpful in solving its own problems, but also damages normal economic and trade cooperation between China and the US.”
"The actions of the U.S. seriously damage the rules-based multilateral trading system, undermine the foundation of economic and trade cooperation between China and the U.S., and disrupt the stability of global industrial and supply chains," the statement continued.
The 10% tariff that President Donald Trump ordered on China came into effect on Tuesday, though Trump said he planned to talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the coming days.
A separate joint announcement by MOFCOM and China's General Administration of Customs said that export controls would also be implemented on metals like tungsten tellurium, bismuth, molybdenum and indium. Some of the materials listed are used in the manufacturing of electronics, solar panels and military equipment.
In its own announcement, the country's State Administration for Market Regulation on said it is investigating Google on suspicion of violating antitrust laws.
Two further companies were added to China's list of "unreliable entities": PVH Group, the parent company of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, and Illumina, a biotechnology company.
China's move came just hours after Trump agreed to pause tariffs he had threatened on Mexico and Canada for 30 days, after both countries agreed to take steps to strengthen their border security and clamp down on drug trafficking. He had announced the trade measures against all three countries over the weekend.
China had on Sunday reiterated its intention to take "necessary countermeasures to defend its legitimate rights and interests" following President Trump's decision to impose 10% tariffs on China for allegedly doing too little to stem the production of precursor chemicals for fentanyl.
The counter measures taken by China are to take effect on 10 February.