A woman walks by high rise office buildings in the central business district, in Beijing, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Beijing has launched a formal complaint against the United States at the World Trade Organization (WTO), following Washington's decision to dramatically raise tariffs on Chinese imports in what China describes as an illegal and provocative move.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced on Wednesday that it had filed a complaint with the WTO Dispute Settlement Body in response to the US imposition of a 50% tariff hike on Chinese goods. The measure, widely seen as an extension of President Donald Trump's trade war legacy, drew immediate condemnation from Beijing.

"China has filed a complaint under the WTO dispute settlement mechanism over latest US tariff increase on Chinese goods," the ministry said in an official statement.

The Commerce Ministry called the move a flagrant violation of international trade rules and a continuation of coercive tactics. "The additional 50% tariff imposed by the US seriously violates WTO rules, noting the ‘one-sided and intimidating nature' of the measure," it added.

Tariff Standoff

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Tuesday that the new tariff rate—104%—would come into effect on Wednesday. The decision followed Trump's ultimatum demanding that China lift its retaliatory tariffs by April 8. Beijing declined, opting instead to uphold its right to respond to years of trade aggression.

Rather than de-escalate, Trump intensified the standoff. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, he declared that any future negotiations with China were "terminated" and that his administration would begin talks with other countries immediately.

China, in turn, announced a 34% tariff on US goods last Friday, alongside export controls on seven rare earth minerals and the addition of 11 American companies to its unreliable entities list. These measures, Beijing emphasized, are legitimate countermeasures in line with its rights under international law.

"China will decisively protect its legitimate rights and interests in accordance with WTO rules, and will firmly uphold the multilateral trading system and the international economic and trade order," the ministry said.

A spokesperson for the Commerce Ministry earlier this week denounced the White House's threats as "blackmail," and warned that "China will fight until the end if the US side is bent on going down the wrong path."

On April 2, Trump signed an executive order imposing new tariffs not just on China, but also on major global economies. These include a 20% tariff on goods from the European Union, 24% on Japanese imports, and 25% on foreign-made vehicles and parts—tariffs Trump claimed were necessary for "national security."