Chinese officials moved quickly on Thursday to align with other nations after Trump unveiled America’s steepest tariffs in a century, saying the US had been “looted, pillaged, raped, and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike.” While it was the third time Beijing got hit with levies since Trump took office again, this time longstanding American allies such as Japan, Australia and the United Kingdom were also smacked with tariffs as high as 24%.
Donald Trump’s move to boost tariffs on all countries will hit China’s economy particularly hard. But it’s also handing Xi Jinping a rare opening to deepen relationships across the board, including with key US allies in Asia and beyond.
