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Trade War Development: Trump Ups The Ante On China

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President Donald Trump upped the ante on China when he increased tariffs on Chinese imports Thursday amid an ongoing trade war between the two countries.

Trump imposed a 10% tariff on an additional $300 billion worth of imports — on top of a 25% tariff already imposed on $250 billion worth of imports — that will start on Sept. 1 after China failed to buy more U.S. agricultural products. (RELATED: Trump: US-China Trade Talks Are ‘Back On Track’ After G20 Meeting)

“Our representatives have just returned from China, where they had constructive talks having to do with a future Trade Deal,” the president tweeted in reference to a meeting on trade that ended Wednesday between Chinese officials, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

“We thought we had a deal with China three months ago, but sadly, China decided to re-negotiate the deal prior to signing,” the president continued.

Trump originally threatened increased tariffs if Chinese President Xi Jinping did not show up to the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, in late June. Xi did show up, however, and the two discussed a trade deal that did not progress in the following months. (RELATED: Trump Floating More China Tariffs If Xi Doesn’t Sit Down At G20)

U.S. President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping (not shown) speak to business leaders at the Great Hall of the People on November 9, 2017 in Beijing, China. Trump is on a 10-day trip to Asia. (Photo by Thomas Peter-Pool/Getty Images)

U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping (not shown) speak to business leaders at the Great Hall of the People on Nov. 9, 2017 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Thomas Peter-Pool/Getty Images)

The president continued on Twitter:

More recently, China agreed to buy agricultural product from the U.S. in large quantities, but did not do so. Additionally, my friend President Xi said that he would stop the sale of Fentanyl to the United States – this never happened, and many Americans continue to die!

Trade talks are continuing, and during the talks the U.S. will start, on September 1st, putting a small additional Tariff of 10% on the remaining 300 Billion Dollars of goods and products coming from China into our Country. This does not include the 250 Billion Dollars already Tariffed at 25%.

We look forward to continuing our positive dialogue with China on a comprehensive Trade Deal, and feel that the future between our two countries will be a very bright one!

China’s Commerce Ministry Hua Chunying said in a statement after Lighthizer and Mnuchin left Shanghai, “Both sides, according to the consensus reached by the two leaders in Osaka, had a candid, highly effective, constructive and deep exchange on major trade and economic issues of mutual interest,” but added the U.S. was continuing to “flip flop” on trade.

The president’s announcement came one day after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the first time since 2008.

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