This archive report was first published on 2 August 2019.
US President Donald Trump has escalated the ongoing trade war with China by announcing plans to impose new tariffs on Sh30.97 trillion (USD300 billion) worth of Chinese goods.
The tariffs, which will take effect on September 1, are in addition to the 25 percent tariffs already in place on Sh25.8 trillion (USD 250 billion) in imports.
Trump's announcement comes just days after trade negotiators resumed face-to-face talks in Shanghai, and ahead of another round of discussions in Washington in early September.
China has yet to respond to the new tariffs, but has hinted in recent months that it could restrict exports of rare earths, which are vital to the US tech industry.
Trade relations between the two nations have been strained for months, with Trump accusing China of reneging on key promises, including a deal to stop the sale of fentanyl to the US.
Trump said that Beijing had agreed to buy agricultural products from the US in large quantities, but failed to do so.
"The 10 percent is... for a short-term period and then I can always do much more or I can do less, depending on what happens with respect to a deal," Trump said at the White House.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi has warned that slapping on tariffs is not a constructive way to resolve economic and trade frictions.
The new tariffs will cover a wide range of everyday Chinese-made goods and consumer electronics, including mobile telephones, baby carriages, tampons, watches, and toys.
Trump has falsely claimed that China pays for his mounting tariffs, but Democrats in Congress and business groups say the measures are taxing ordinary consumers and making household goods more expensive.
Wall Street dove into the red following Trump's announcement, with retailers hit particularly hard.
