China slaps retaliatory tariffs on 128 US imports

China imposed on Monday new tariffs on 128 import products from America, including fruits and pork, worth $3 billion in apparent retaliation to United States duties on steel and aluminium or aluminum, fueling fears of a trade war.

Beijing’s move, which the Xinhua news agency said was decided by the custom tariffs commission of the State Council, follows weeks of heated rhetoric and threats between the world’s two biggest economies.

President Donald Trump is seeking to cut the massive US trade deficit with China.

Beijing had warned last month that it was considering the tariffs of 15 percent and 25 percent on a range of products that also include wine, nuts, and aluminum scrap.

The levies are in response to the aluminum and steel tariffs that have also angered US allies from Europe to Canada and Australia.

Trump, however, has temporarily suspended the tariffs for the European Union as well as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and South Korea.

The US leader has also unveiled plans to impose new tariffs on some $60 billion of Chinese imports over the “theft” of intellectual property.                /kga