Containers pile up at Qingdao Port in Shandong Province, China, on September 25, 2025.

(Photo suggestion: Qingdao Port Containers – Pixabay)

Former President Donald Trump announced Friday that he plans to impose a 100% tariff on all goods imported from China, escalating tensions between the world’s two largest economies. The new tariffs, set to take effect November 1, come as Beijing tightens export controls on critical rare earth minerals vital for U.S. technology and defense production.

“The United States of America will impose a tariff of 100% on China, over and above any tariff that they are currently paying,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “Also on November 1st, we will impose export controls on any and all critical software.”

The declaration effectively ends months of relative calm between Washington and Beijing and signals a return to the combative trade stance that defined Trump’s first term in office.