US Tariffs on China: Current Rates, Timeline & Impact

The United States now applies an average tariff of 47.5% on all Chinese imports, a figure more than 15 times higher than before 2018, when the trade war began. China has responded with average tariffs of 31.9% on US goods. This article walks through the current tariff landscape, explains where headline numbers like 245% and 75% come from, and provides a chronological overview of the key actions that have reshaped US–China trade since 2018.

Last checked: 2026-05-22

Current US tariff rate on China: 47.5% average (PIIE chart) · US tariff peak on selective goods: 145% (Wikipedia) · China’s tariff rate on US goods: 31.9% average (PIIE) · Retaliatory rate from China: 125% on US goods (Wikipedia) · US tariff actions started: 2018 under Section 301/232 · 2025 SCOTUS ruling update: Yale Budget Lab analysis available

What is the current US tariff rate on China?

The Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) tracks that average US tariffs on Chinese exports now stand at 47.5% and cover 100% of all US imports from China. That means every product category entering the United States from China faces this elevated rate, not just targeted sectors. By comparison, the average US tariff on imports from the rest of the world sits at about 18.4% as of late 2025, reflecting the broader tariff actions taken under both Trump administrations but concentrated heavily on China.

China’s average tariffs on US exports are currently around 31.9%, according to the same PIIE analysis. This asymmetry matters: US tariff rates on Chinese goods have risen faster and higher than China’s retaliatory rates on US goods. Since the second Trump administration began on January 20, 2025, average US tariffs on imports from China have climbed by 26.8 percentage points — a jump roughly 10 percentage points larger than the entire 16.2-percentage-point increase achieved during Trump’s first term (2017–2021).

Importers and supply chain managers should note that these are average applied rates. Specific products can face tariffs well above or below the average depending on their Harmonized Tariff Schedule classification, any product-specific exclusions granted by US authorities, and the legal authority used to impose each tariff (Section 301, Section 232, or IEEPA).

What this means: The United States has imposed the most comprehensive and sustained tariff regime against a major trading partner in modern history, affecting virtually every category of imports from China. Businesses sourcing from China face average costs 47.5% above pre-trade-war levels.

Is the US tariff 245% on China?

The 245% figure has circulated in news coverage, but it does not represent the average tariff applied to Chinese imports. The highest confirmed US tariff rate on specific Chinese goods during the 2025 escalation reached 145%, according to reporting by Global Business Journalism. The 245% figure likely conflated US and Chinese retaliatory rates or reflected speculative reporting during the April 9–12, 2025 period when both sides briefly announced escalating tariffs before stepping back.

During that brief window in April 2025, the United States announced tariffs on Chinese goods rising as high as 145%, while China lifted its total headline tariffs on US goods to 125% before both sides agreed to de-escalate. Neither rate applied broadly — they represented sectoral peaks during a rapid escalation-and-retreat cycle. The subsequent May 2025 ceasefire and October 2025 APEC agreement brought rates down to the 47% range for the United States and approximately 10% for China under the current truce.

It is also worth noting that many of the new US tariffs on China were imposed under emergency authorities — particularly the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Section 232 — rather than through the standard WTO-notified tariff schedules. This legal framework gives the executive branch more flexibility to adjust rates quickly but also introduces greater policy uncertainty for importers.

The catch: Headline figures like 145% or 245% reflect peak rates on specific goods during short-lived escalations, not the average applied tariff. The 47.5% average is the more relevant metric for understanding overall trade costs.

Did China just put 75% tariffs on the US?

China has not imposed a uniform 75% tariff on all US goods. Instead, China has layered multiple tariff increases on specific product categories, and the cumulative effect on some goods did approach or exceed 75% during the April 2025 escalation. On April 4, 2025, China announced a 34% tariff on all US goods, effective April 10, adding to existing retaliatory rates. This pushed China’s total headline tariff on US products to 125% at its peak.

Prior to that escalation, China’s retaliatory actions were more targeted. On February 4, 2025, China imposed 15% tariffs on US coal and liquefied natural gas, and 10% tariffs on US crude oil, agricultural machinery, and high-end cars. On March 4, 2025, China added 15% tariffs on chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton and 10% tariffs on sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables, and dairy from the United States.

The C.H. Robinson tariff timeline notes that the 125% Chinese tariff on US products was later reduced to 10% for a 90-day period following a de-escalation agreement. The current truce terms established under the October 2025 APEC agreement keep Chinese tariffs on US goods at roughly 10% while the one-year pause on new increases is in effect.

What to watch: China’s tariff rates on US goods remain subject to change as bilateral negotiations continue. The current 10% rate under the APEC truce could be adjusted if either side perceives a violation of the agreement’s terms.

Can China survive without USA trade?

China’s record trade surplus suggests a degree of resilience against US tariffs, but complete independence from US trade is neither achievable nor desirable for China in the short term. The Council on Foreign Relations estimates that by the end of 2025, total US imports and exports with China were more than 25% lower than their pre-trade-war levels. This decline reflects both the direct impact of tariffs and broader supply chain adjustments as businesses diversify sourcing.

Research from Stanford’s King Center on Global Development shows that Chinese exporters hit hardest by US tariffs during the 2018–19 trade war survived by diversifying export markets and upgrading product quality. A 1-percentage-point increase in the US tariff rate cut profit growth of affected Chinese firms by about 0.7 percentage points, but many firms adapted rather than exited.

China’s coastal export hubs are the most exposed to US tariffs. In the first seven months of 2025, six coastal regions — Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Shandong, and Fujian — accounted for nearly 80% of China’s exports to the United States by value, according to South China Morning Post analysis. However, some provinces saw their exports to the US rise by as much as 265% as supply chains adjusted, with goods rerouted through third countries to avoid direct tariff exposure.

China has also not broadly raised tariffs on other trade partners while retaliating against the US. PIIE data shows China’s average tariffs on imports from the rest of the world fell from about 8.0% in early 2018 to around 6.5% by early 2022 and have remained at that level. This targeted approach preserves trade relationships with other markets.

The trade-off: China has enough trade surplus and alternative market relationships to absorb significant US tariff pressure, but certain sectors — particularly agriculture and energy — face acute pain from retaliatory tariffs, and complete substitution of the US market remains difficult.

What are the key US–China tariff actions since 2018?

The modern US–China tariff war began in 2018 when the United States imposed tariffs on Chinese solar panels, washing machines, steel, and aluminum under President Donald Trump. On July 6, 2018, the US imposed a 25% tariff on $34 billion of Chinese imports under Section 301, and China immediately retaliated with 25% tariffs on $34 billion of US exports. By late 2019, the United States had imposed tariffs on about $350 billion of Chinese imports, and China had retaliated on roughly $100 billion of US exports.

2018 initial tariffs

On January 22, 2018, the United States imposed safeguard tariffs of 20% to 30% on imported washing machines and 30% on solar cells and modules, with China as a primary target. On March 1, 2018, President Trump announced tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum imports under Section 232, affecting China among other countries. Economists estimate that these actions raised the average US tariff on imports from China from about 3% before 2018 to roughly 19–20% by early 2020.

2019 escalation

The first Trump administration escalated rapidly through 2019, reaching the $350 billion threshold noted above. The Phase One trade deal signed in January 2020 paused some tariff escalation but did not roll back existing rates.

2021–2024 continued tensions

Under the Biden administration (January 20, 2021 – January 20, 2025), US tariffs on Chinese goods remained largely unchanged, with only modest increases in September 2024 and January 2025 that raised the average US tariff on Chinese exports from 19.3% to 20.7%.

2025 SCOTUS ruling and new tariffs

On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump began a second presidential term, after which US tariffs on Chinese goods were rapidly increased. Key dates include:

• February 1, 2025: Trump announced a 10% tariff on all Chinese imports under IEEPA, citing a national emergency linked to fentanyl trafficking.
• March 3, 2025: The across-the-board tariff on Chinese goods was raised from 10% to 20%.
• April 2, 2025: Trump announced an additional 34% tariff on Chinese goods, citing alleged 67% Chinese “trade barriers,” raising the headline US tariff rate on Chinese imports to 54%.
• April 4, 2025: China responded with a 34% tariff on all US goods, effective April 10, plus rare-earth export restrictions.
• April 9–12, 2025: Brief escalation saw US rates climb toward 145% and Chinese rates to 125% before both sides stepped back.
• May 12, 2025: A 90-day ceasefire brought US tariffs on Chinese imports down to about 30% and Chinese tariffs on US goods to about 10%.
• August 12, 2025: The truce was formally extended for another 90 days.
• September 2025: Trump threatened an additional 100% tariff on all Chinese imports effective November 1 but delayed the increase as talks progressed.

These actions represent the most aggressive tariff escalation in the modern US–China trade relationship.

2026 outlook

At the APEC summit in Busan on October 30, 2025, Presidents Trump and Xi agreed to a one-year trade truce. Under this agreement, the United States lowered overall tariffs on Chinese imports to about 47% and paused new hikes, while China eased some retaliatory measures including on soybean purchases and rare-earth export restrictions. The current rates reflect this agreement, but the underlying legal authorities (IEEPA and Section 232) remain in place, giving the administration flexibility to adjust rates if negotiations stall.

The bottom line: The tariff war has moved through multiple phases of escalation, brief de-escalations, and negotiations. The current truce provides a window of stability, but the structural drivers — including allegations of intellectual property theft, industrial subsidies, and national security concerns — remain unresolved.