China hits back at US with import tariffs including on crude oil, as Trumps measures go into effect
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China Imposes 15% Tariff on US Imports
Above: China's Pres. Xi Jinping in Macau on Dec. 19, 2024. Image copyright: Anthony Kwan/POOL/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
The tariffs serve as a powerful tool to protect American national security and force China to address the fentanyl crisis that has killed over 281K Americans in four years. Access to the American market is a privilege, and these measures will compel Beijing to crack down on illegal drug trafficking.
Pro-China narrative
The unilateral imposition of tariffs by the US seriously violates WTO rules and undermines normal economic cooperation. Beijing has already implemented strict counternarcotics policies, and Washington needs to address its domestic drug issues rather than threatening other nations with arbitrary tariff hikes.