US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order suspending an increase in trade duties on Chinese goods. The order will be in effect for 90 days. It was enacted hours before his deadline for talks between Washington and Beijing.
“This measure is necessary to facilitate continued and productive discussions with China on addressing trade imbalances, unfair trade practices, expanding market access for U.S. exports, and coordinating with the United States on national security and economic issues,” the White House said in a statement.
Thus, the United States has extended the suspension of increased tariffs on Chinese imports until 10 November 2025. The current 10 per cent reciprocal tariff remains in effect during this period.
At the same time, a joint statement was issued following the US-China talks in Stockholm, stating that both the US and China will apply a 10 per cent duty on each other from August 12, while Beijing will also “take or maintain the necessary measures to suspend or eliminate non-tariff countermeasures against the United States as agreed in the Geneva Joint Declaration”.
In the spring, Trump ordered duties on Chinese goods to be raised to 125 per cent and then 145 per cent, a decision later delayed while mutual trade concessions were negotiated.
In addition to the previously imposed duties, Chinese exports to the U.S. are threatened by another of Trump’s initiatives – a promised increase in tariffs on Russia’s trading partners. In early August, he said he anticipated that this measure would affect Beijing as well. China has made it clear that it has no plans to refuse to buy Russian oil.