Beijing also added 15 U.S. companies to its export control list, a move that it said was intended to ‘safeguard national security and interests.’
The Chinese communist regime said on Tuesday that it will impose additional tariffs of up to 15 percent on some U.S. agricultural goods in response to the Trump administration’s tariff hikes.
In a statement, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said that imports of chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton from the United States will face an extra 15 percent tariff.
The tariff applied to U.S. imports of sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products will increase by 10 percent.
The tariffs will take effect on March 10, the ministry stated. Goods already in transit will be exempt until April 12.
The Commerce Ministry said that the tariffs were a response to President Donald Trump’s move to raise tariffs on Chinese imports from 10 percent to 20 percent, which went into effect on Tuesday.
The ministry condemned the increase in tariffs, warning that the move could burden U.S. companies and consumers and undermine the foundation of the U.S.-China trade relations.
Beside counter tariffs, a Commerce Ministry spokesperson said Beijing filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization over new U.S. tariffs. The Chinese regime also blacklisted dozens of U.S. companies.
The Commerce Ministry added 15 U.S. companies to its export control list, a move that it said was intended to “safeguard national security and interests.” Among the companies are military vehicles manufacturer General Dynamics Land Systems and drone maker Skydio. Seven of the companies were designated unreliable entities last year.
The ministry also added U.S. biotechnology company Illumina to Beijing’s unreliable entity list, banning imports of Illumina’s genetic sequencers. It cited the need to “safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.”
In a statement to The Epoch Times, an Illumina spokesperson said the company is assessing the announcement to fully understand its impact, and will continue to serve customers in China.
“We respect and abide by Chinese laws and regulations, and we are committed to operating in compliance with the latest guidelines from the Ministry of Commerce,” the statement reads. “We also appreciate the Chinese government’s long-term support for foreign investors, including Illumina.”
Ten other U.S. companies were put on the list. The ministry said the companies “were either involved in arms sales to Taiwan, or had cooperated with Taiwan on military technologies.” Nine of them were sanctioned last year by China’s Foreign Ministry.
