The UK states that it “will not hesitate to act,” while China, the EU, and Canada warn of “countermeasures” against new taxes. An Indian official claims that the tariffs are “higher than expected.”
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump declared sweeping new taxes on goods coming into the US from all across the world.
The following are global responses thus far from the main economies of the world:
China
Beijing promised “countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests” and stated that it “firmly opposes” the higher export duties.
Trump announced particularly harsh 34% tariffs on China, one of its biggest trading partners, in addition to a base duty of 10% on all other nations. This is in addition to the 20 percent charge that was applied last month.
China’s Commerce Ministry stated that the taxes “do not comply with international trade rules.”
It warned that they “endanger global economic development” and urged Washington to “immediately cancel” them.
European Union
EU leader Ursula von der Leyen said that the tariffs constitute a “major blow to the world economy.”
“The chaos appears to be devoid of order. “All US trading partners are being hit, and there is no clear way through the chaos and complexity that is being created,” she said.
She stated that although Brussels was “preparing for further countermeasures” in response to the 20 percent tariffs on EU exports to the US, it was “not too late to address concerns through negotiations.”
Germany
The European Union should act “with necessary force, while continuing to signal its willingness to negotiate,” according to the German Automotive Industry Association, which claimed the tariffs would “only create losers.”
The German chemical industry, whose biggest export destination is the US, asked the EU to “remain calm,” emphasizing that “an escalation would only worsen the damage.”
Japan
The 24 percent tariffs on Japanese exports to the US are “very regrettable, and I have again strongly urged (Washington) not to apply them to Japan,” said Trade Minister Yoji Muto.
Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, warned reporters that the taxes might be against the two countries’ trade treaty and World Trade Organization regulations.
India
The Federation of Indian Export Organizations’ chief executive, Ajay Sahai, told AFP that the taxes will “hurt demand” for the company’s products.
He declared, “The tariffs imposed on India are unquestionably high and higher than anticipated.” However, he claimed that rival countries like China and Vietnam had been more severely affected, creating room for India to increase its market share.
UK
According to Business Minister Jonathan Reynolds, the UK would “remain calm, and committed” to concluding a trade agreement with the US that might “mitigate” a 10 percent tariff placed on British exports to the US.
But “we will not hesitate to act and we have a range of tools at our disposal,” he continued.
France
According to his office, President Emmanuel Macron will meet with representatives of French industries “impacted by the tariff measures.”
Italy
Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister of Italy, criticized the recent US tariffs on EU goods and called for a compromise, stating that a trade war would “inevitably weaken the West.”
“I believe that the United States’ imposition of tariffs on the European Union is an incorrect measure that is inconvenient for both parties,” she stated.
Canada
The tariffs will “fundamentally change the global trading system,” Prime Minister Mark Carney warned.
“We will use countermeasures to combat these tariffs. “We will safeguard our employees,” he declared.
Bangladesh
The second-largest clothing maker in the world, which supplies around 80% of Bangladesh’s exports, warned that US tariffs were a “massive blow” to the country’s textile sector.
“This is going to be a huge blow for our industry—buyers will go to other cost-competitive markets,” stated Rakibul Alam Chowdhury, chairman of RDM Group, a significant manufacturer with an estimated $25 million in sales. “We’ll lose customers.”
Brazil
A law known as the “Economic Reciprocity Law” was enacted by the Brazilian Congress, enabling the executive branch to react to the 10 percent tariffs on exports from the largest economy in Latin America, which is the second-largest supplier of steel to the US behind Canada.
South Korea
After Trump imposed 25 percent tariffs on South Korean imports, acting president Han Duck-soo declared, “A global tariff war has become a reality.”
Han urged ministers to minimize the harm through tough negotiations with Washington, called an emergency task group, and pledged to mobilize “all government resources” to address the “trade crisis.”
Australia
The additional tariffs, according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, were “not the act of a friend” and would harm ties between close allies.
He stated, “These tariffs are not surprising, but let me be clear: they are completely unjustified.”
Switzerland
President Karin Keller-Sutter stated that the administration would make a decision on the next course of action as soon as possible after Switzerland was slammed with 31 percent tariffs.
“The long-term economic interests of the nation come first. “Free trade and respect for international law are essential,” she stated.
Poland
Donald Tusk, the prime minister of Poland, responded differently than most other nations, saying: “Friendship means partnership.” True reciprocal tariffs are a prerequisite for partnership.
Taiwan
According to cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee, the Taiwanese government “found the 32 percent levy to be highly unreasonable and deeply regretted it.” Taiwan would “start serious negotiations with the United States,” she declared.
