Trump’s China Tariffs Aim to Tackle Decades of Trade Imbalance, National Security Threats

Despite joining the WTO in 2001, China did not evolve into the fully-fledged market economy that the United States had hoped for.

President Donald Trump signs an executive order imposing tariffs on imported goods during a "Make America Wealthy Again" trade announcement event in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington on April 2, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—As part of a major shift in U.S. trade policy, President Donald Trump has ramped up tariffs on Chinese goods, which he said will revive domestic manufacturing and correct decades of imbalanced trade between the two economies.

At the April 2 “Make America Wealthy Again” event in the White House Rose Garden, Trump unveiled the contours of his global tariff plans, including a 34 percent reciprocal levy on Beijing. The president noted China’s currency manipulation and other non-monetary trade barriers.