China ‘shocked’ by US actions in trade dispute

• Posted on July 11, 2018
• by Ellsamwise King
• Comment

China said it is “shocked” after the US announced plans for fresh tariffs, escalating a trade war between the two countries.

The US-listed $200bn (£150bn) worth of additional products it intends to place tariffs on as soon as September.

The move comes just days after the two countries imposed tit-for-tat tariffs of $34bn on each other’s goods.

Beijing described Washington’s latest threat as “totally unacceptable,” saying it would hurt the world.

“The behavior of the US is hurting China, hurting the world, and hurting itself,” a spokesperson for China’s commerce ministry said in a statement.

The list names more than 6,000 items including food products, minerals and consumer goods such as handbags.

The public will have until the end of August to comment on the list before the new tariffs – to be imposed at 10% – come into effect.

Source: BBC