Trump again defended the introduction of additional duties on Chinese imports.
..deferral to December. It actually helps China more than us, but will be reciprocated. Millions of jobs are being lost in China to other non-Tariffed countries. Thousands of companies are leaving. Of course China wants to make a deal. Let them work humanely with Hong Kong first!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 14, 2019
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced earlier that the United States would put off its additional 10-percent tariff hike on some Chinese items. The move will reportedly affect some $300 billion of Chinese goods.
The Chinese Commerce Ministry in a statement condemned the US decision to introduce duties on Chinese imports starting 1 September.
On Tuesday, Washington postponed the implementation of the additional tariffs on some Chinese imports until 15 December.
The 10-percent tariff comes in addition to the $250 billion worth of Chinese goods already subject to a 25-percent tariff.
The Trump administration and Beijing have been engaged in a trade war since June 2018, when the president announced he would impose tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports in a bid to balance the trade deficit. Since that time, the two countries have imposed several rounds of tit-for-tat tariffs and have yet to negotiate a comprehensive trade deal.
Trump earlier accused China of currency manipulation and unfair trade practices that steal from US businesses and farmers, signaling that additional tariffs may be in store to overcome a yuan devaluation.
A weaker yuan, however, could neutralize the effects the United States intended to cause by its imposition of tariffs on Chinese imports.