Quotes
India, very, very tough,
President Trump said on Wednesday, reading out the new levies from a chart brought up to him by Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick at the presentation
April 2, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America's destiny was reclaimed, and the day that we began to make America wealthy again. Going to make it wealthy, good and welcome. For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike."
Setting up the announcement, Trump saidBecause we are being very kind, we're kind people, very kind,
Trump said, explaining the new leviesThis is how you sabotage the world’s economic engine while claiming to supercharge it,
said Nigel Green, CEO of global financial advisory deVere Group
This is one of the most important days, in my opinion, in American history,
said Trump on WednesdaySome garments and footwear [companies], some are American brands like Nike, or Adidas, US companies that have factories in Indonesia. Will they face the same tariffs as well?”
he saidThe administration thinks is that by targeting these countries they can target Chinese investment in countries like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia. By targeting their products maybe it will effect Chinese exports and the economy,
he saidTrump's tariffs certainly won't help Chinese firms and will cause some real pain in some sectors, but they don't make any definitive mark on the Chinese economy,
said William Hurst, Chong Hua Professor of Chinese Development at the University of Cambridge
Arguably, President Trump's tariffs elsewhere will cause the most headaches,
said Ruby Osman, a China expert at the Tony Blair Institute for Global ChangeTrump and Xi are locked in a paradox of pressure and pride,
said Craig Singleton, senior fellow at Washington-based research institute Foundation for Defense of DemocraciesChina knew this day was coming well in advance, the relatively restrained stimulus announcements at March's Two Sessions were a calculation, not an oversight,
Osman said, referring to China's annual parliamentary meetingsChina firmly opposes this and will take countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests,
the ministry said, as the world's largest economies look set to spiral deeper into a trade war that stands to upend global supply chainsU.S. exports are of declining importance to China. The American tariffs will spur more Chinese trade with other places, from Europe to Southeast Asia and Africa,
he addedBeijing has purposefully kept more in reserve, both in terms of domestic stimulus and retaliatory measures, in case it needs to respond more forcefully,
she addedTrump's strategy mixes maximum pressure with sudden diplomatic overtures — he sees leverage and engagement as complementary. Xi, by contrast, is methodical and risk-averse, relying on delay and discipline. But here’s the dilemma: if he refuses to engage, the pressure escalates; if he engages too soon, he risks looking weak,
he added