China lowers tariffs for America’s trade rivals

U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war with China has led President Xi Jinping to cut tariffs* for Washington’s commercial rivals and giving them improved access to China’s 1.4 billion consumers

*Most favoured nation (MFN) tariffs

Donald Trump 	Xi Jinping


0% China’s tariff on imports from U.S.†		0% Imports from rest of world


Pharmaceuticals					1.1% 0.6%
Aircraft 					2.7% 1.5%
Automobiles and parts 				12.6% 12.6%
Optical, medical, and measuring instruments 	12.8% 3.1%
Mechanical machinery and appliances 		16.8% 4.9%
Electrical machinery and equipment 		18.3% 3.3%
Chemicals, plastics and rubber products 	19.3% 6.5%
Average: All goods 				20.7% 6.3%
Wood, paper, and metal products 		22.3% 4.4%
Petroleum 					24.2% 3.6%
Soybeans 					28.0% 3.0%
Other farm and fish products 			42.4% 18.9%

$2,135bn
China’s total imports (2018)


†MFN tariffs, June 2019


Sources: Peterson Institute for International Economics, International Trade Centre 
Pictures: Associated Press
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