Tariffs on Chinese imports surge up to 245%, Says White House Document

The latest White House document states that China faces US import tariffs of 245% as a penalty for its retaliatory measures, but it does not clarify how the 245% figure was calculated.

In the White House Fact Sheet dated April 15, regarding the investigation into critical minerals under Section 232, there is a passage under the section “Strengthening U.S. Industry” that reads:

“On Liberation Day, President Trump imposed a 10% tariff on all countries and individualised reciprocal higher tariffs on nations with which the U.S. has the largest trade deficits in order to level the playing field and protect America’s national security.

More than 75 countries have already reached out to discuss new trade deals.

As a result, the individualised higher tariffs are currently paused amid these discussions, except for China, which retaliated.

China now faces up to a 245% tariff on imports to the United States as a result of its retaliatory actions.”

However, the White House and other US agencies have not yet clarified how the 245% figure was calculated. The official figure most commonly cited by President Donald Trump and referenced in the media remains 145% for tariffs on Chinese imports.Meanwhile, the Facebook page of Kobsak Pootrakul, Bangkok Bank's Deputy Chief Executive Officer, stated:

"Right now, people around the world are highly confused. The latest clarification in the White House factsheet, which many outlets report as the US imposing another round of tariffs on China, raises the question: is this a new measure on top of the existing 145%? Is it an additional punishment against China in response to retaliation? Or is it simply a combination of old tariffs?"

 Kobsak referenced a report from The New York Times, noting that for certain products such as "syringes," import tariffs were already as high as 100% during the first Trump administration. When combined with the current 145% tariffs under Trump 2.0, this results in a maximum rate of 245%, as mentioned in the latest factsheet.

Furthermore, a review of the Executive Order issued on April 15 regarding Section 232 and other provisions shows no announcement of new reciprocal tariffs, nor was this issue mentioned on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, on that date.

(2025/04/16-00:00)