China’s furious reaction to Trump’s tariff announcement – but not for the reason you think

In the wake of US President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" announcement on tariffs placed on every nation in the world, China has reacted to fury on taxes placed on another nation

China has reacted with fury to Donald Trump’s tariff announcement overnight - with its concerns revolving around the taxes placed on a different country altogether.

The US president last night delivered America’s “Liberation Day” and slapped eye-watering import taxes - tariffs - on every country in the world . He battered countries he considers the worst trading partners, who he claims have "looted, pillaged, raped and plundered" the United States with even higher tariff rates. Among the hardest hit was China which faces tariffs of 34%, sparking a furious reaction from the country - although part of its anger was aimed at taxes placed on another nation.

Follow the latest on Donald Trump's tariffs with our live blog

Taiwan was hit with a 32% tariff but China has taken umbrage at the island being listed as a separate country, rather than as part of China. Xie Feng, the country's ambassador to the US wrote on X: “Taiwan is China's Taiwan.

“We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort, but we will never allow any room for “Taiwan independence” forces in whatever form.”

Taiwan, an independent nation roughly 100 miles off the coast of southeast China , has been claimed by the mainland Chinese government as a part of its territory since Communists won control in 1949. The ruling CCP does not recognise the country's claim to be the Republic of China.

Meanwhile, in reaction to the tariffs placed on China, its commerce ministry said Beijing will "resolutely take countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests". It is unclear what this means exactly however as the world considers its response to Trump’s latest attempt at causing worldwide chaos during his second term in the Oval Office.

The ministry added: “China urges the United States to immediately cancel its unilateral tariff measures and properly resolve differences with its trading partners through equal dialogue.”

Taiwan meanwhile responded to the 32% tariff on its high-tech economy by calling it "strongly unreasonable and highly regrettable. Cabinet spokesperson Lee Hui-chih said in an official news release: “The proposed tax rate does not reflect the actual economic and trade situation between Taiwan and the United States (and) is unfair to Taiwan.”

“[It] cannot reflect the high degree of complementarity in the trade structure between Taiwan and the U.S. and the actual trade relationship."

He added the tariff calculation method was unscientific and unclear and "Taiwan's exports to the U.S. and corresponding trade surplus have risen significantly in recent years, mainly reflecting the surge in demand from U.S. customers for semiconductors and related products, especially AI products”.