China, EU, and Canada hit back in a trade war escalation as USA dismisses retaliation
Chinese COSCO Freighter (Fletcher6)
There are costs to tariffs. China, the European Union, and Canada have announced retaliatory actions in response to Donald Trump’s tariffs:
China raises tariffs on U.S. goods to 84% in retaliation to Trump tariffs
April 9, 2025
China said it is raising its tariffs on U.S. products to 84%, up from its previously announced 34%, after President Trump’s import duties on Chinese good went into effect today at a rate of 104%.
Mr. Trump’s broad-based tariffs, which apply to imports of almost every nation, kicked in after midnight Eastern time in the U.S.
China’s announcement signals Beijing isn’t backing down in a global trade war sparked by Mr. Trump’s April 2 decision to levy so-called “reciprocal tariffs” on almost every nation. In response to that announcement, China said it would counter by placing the same duty — 34% at the time — on U.S. imports, which prompted Mr. Trump to slap another 50% tariff on Chinese imports.
Together with previously announced tariffs, Mr. Trump has raised the total tariff rate on China-made products to 104%, a fee that will be paid by U.S. companies that import products from China. …
Separately, the European Union on Wednesday announced its own retaliatory measures against the U.S. The 27-country trading bloc announced tariffs on more than $22 billion in U.S. products, including soybeans, motorcycles and beauty products, according to AFP. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-tariffs-84-percent-retaliatory-tariff-us-products-trump-104/
EU member states agree first wave of retaliatory tariffs
9 April 2025
EU member states approved on Wednesday 25% tariffs on a wide range of US products, including almonds, orange juice, poultry, soyabeans, steel and aluminium, tobacco and yachts, in retaliation against 25% tariffs imposed by the US on imports of steel and aluminium from the bloc.
These are Europe’s first retaliatory measures in the trade war waged by US President Donald Trump against his trading partners across the globe. The list of products, previously seen by Euronews, was the subject of intense lobbying by member states wary of US countermeasures hitting their industries. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/04/09/eu-member-states-agree-first-wave-of-retaliatory-tariffs
Canada hits back at US car tariffs with reciprocal measures
9 April 2025
Canada says it has started imposing a 25% tariff on certain vehicle imports from the US, retaliating against a similar measure from its neighbour.
The tariffs – or import taxes – will be paid by Canadians who buy some automobiles or their parts from the US.
Confirming that the new taxes would apply after midnight on Wednesday, Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said his country was responding to “unwarranted and unreasonable” tariffs. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cedyyll7467o
A Trump Administration official is brushing off China’s actions:
April 9, 2025
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday morning brushed off reports that China planned to raise tariffs on U.S. goods in retaliation to President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
China again vowed to “fight to the end” Wednesday in an escalating trade war with the U.S. as it announced it would raise tariffs on American goods to 84% from Thursday.
Beijing also added an array of countermeasures after Trump raised the total tariff on imports from China to 104%. …
Bessent also downplayed “swings in the bond market.”
“Specifically, Bessent said about the swings in the bond market: ‘I believe there is nothing systemic about this,’ describing it as ‘uncomfortable but normal deleveraging,'” https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/treasury-scott-bessent-china/2025/04/09/id/1206229/
But there are costs and concerns about tariffs. Consider the following:
Trump tariffs spark US government debt sell-off
9 April 2025
Confidence in the US economy is plummeting as investors dumped government debt amid growing concerns over the impact of Donald Trump’s tariffs.
On Wednesday, the yield – or interest rate – on US bonds spiked sharply to touch the highest level since February at 4.5%. …
Stock markets have been falling sharply over the past few days in reaction to Trump pressing ahead with tariffs.
However, the sale of bonds poses a major problem for the world’s biggest economy.
While the rate is the same level as a couple of months ago, the interest rates for US borrowing over 10 years has spiked sharply in the past couple of days up from 3.9%.
“Rising bond yields mean higher costs for companies to borrow, and of course governments too,” said Laith Khalaf, head of investment analysis at AJ Bell.
“Bonds should do well in times of turmoil as investors flee to safety, but Trump’s trade war is now undermining the US debt market,” he added. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yrr0e7499o
The Chinese have no intention of giving in to President Trump and are vowing to “fight to the end”. So that means that an economic war between the number one economy on the entire planet and the number two economy on the entire planet is officially on. …
So what happens if neither side blinks?
The truth is that we could soon have a real nightmare on our hands.
According to Bloomberg, “two influential state-linked Chinese bloggers” have published identical lists of “countermeasures” that the Chinese government is prepared to implement…
While China hasn’t said how it would respond if Trump follows through on his threat, two influential state-linked Chinese bloggers posted an identical set of countermeasures that they said authorities are considering. They include raising tariffs on US farm products, a ban on Hollywood movies and investigating American firms’ intellectual property gains in the country.
Without a doubt, some of these “countermeasures” would definitely cause quite a bit of pain for our economy…
Suspending cooperation with the U.S. on fentanyl (which Beijing itself helped flood into American communities),
Jacking up tariffs on American farm goods like soybeans and sorghum,
Blocking U.S. poultry,
Clamping down on American service industries,
Investigating U.S. intellectual property in China,
And, of course, reducing/banning U.S. films.
In addition, the Chinese have already placed new restrictions on rare earth elements and have added more U.S. companies to the “unreliable entities list”.
On top of everything else, it appears that a major currency devaluation could be right around the corner…
The People’s Bank of China on Tuesday set the midpoint rate for onshore yuan at 7.2038 per dollar, the weakest level since September 2023, according to data provider Wind Information. The yuan is allowed to trade within a 2% band of this midpoint rate.
The yuan’s weakening is a “big signal,” Robin Brooks, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia,” “this is Beijing politely saying this is getting a little too much, we are putting you on notice, we can devalue if we want and bigger things may come if you keep this up.”
“This is a clear shot across the bow of Washington,” Brooks added.
Anyone that suggests that the Chinese are not able to hurt us does not know what they are talking about.
Yes, we can really hurt China, but they can really hurt us too. 04/08/25 https://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/china-has-an-insidious-6-point-plan-to-defeat-donald-trump-and-win-the-economic-war/
China shows no signs of caving in, and continues to vow to “fight to the end.” …
Amazon.com and other online retailers are beginning to raise their prices, with some websites reportedly adding a “Trump liberation tariff” fee at checkout. 04/08/25 https://healthimpactnews.com/2025/china-trade-war-heats-up-as-amazon-and-online-retailers-begin-raising-prices-while-trump-wants-1-trillion-for-the-military/
Yes, there are costs in trade wars, and even yesterday I warned that China may devalue its currency to help it better cope with that (see China and USA escalate trade tariffs–what is China’s non-military ‘nuclear option’?).
The impact on the bond market and USA debt are setting up for the fulfillment of prophecy which will happen in several years (cf. Habakkuk 2:6-8).
An unintended consequence of these tariffs is that it is motivating nations to trade with others rather than the USA, and this will help the end time Mystery Babylon of Europe to rise up.
That said, here is something I posted related to cost of tariffs and trade matters on January 19, 2017 titled ‘America’s Tariff Trouble’:
Trade wars have causalities and tariffs increase prices and can cause inflation.
Various nations will not like the policies that Donald Trump has advocated. …
Trade disputes are likely to be a factor that will lead to World War III.
The idea that we could be looking at a coming trade war is not a new one. Part of the reason for World War II was essentially a trade war, that turned into an actual war between the USA and Japan.
Over thirty years ago, Gene Hogberg of the old Worldwide Church of God wrote the following:
Prepare for Trade War
THE Free World’s 40-year period of unprecedented prosperity may soon come to a crashing halt. Support in the United States — the West’s leading trading nation — for maintaining free trade is crumbling fast.
Instead, there reverberate in the halls of Congress warnings to trade partners to open markets or face the retaliation of heightened tariffs and quotas. …
Mr. Reagan is painfully aware of where unbridled protectionism could lead. In recently rejecting a protectionist plea from one industry, the President evoked memories of the Depression — era Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act. “Some of us remember the 1930s, when the most destructive trade bill in history, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, helped plunge this nation and the world into a decade of depression and despair,” he told a radio audience. “From now on, if the ghost of Smoot-Hawley rears its ugly head in Congress, if Congress creates a depression — making bill, I’ll fight it.”
But the ghost is rising, and support for the President’s trade policy is waning, even from those within his own party.
What Smoot-Hawley Did
Just how disastrous was the Smoot-Hawley bill? The devastating role it played in the Great Depression was explained in the September 5 issue of The Wall Street Journal, in an article written by its editor, Robert L. Bartley. “The stock-market crash of 1929 came in the midst of debate in Congress over the tariff,” wrote Mr. Bartley. “It had spent the year adding item after item to the protection list. In mid — 1930 the Smoot-Hawley Bill became law, with the highest tariffs in the nation’s history.” What might have been an ordinary correction, continued Mr. Bartley, “turned into the Great Depression…. As the international accounts closed down, the world economy choked.” …
Dangerous Security Changes
Other experts warn that American political leaders — responding to calls for immediate competitive relief from their constituents — may be ignoring another lesson of the Great Depression: that the severe contraction of world trade gave added impetus to imperialist surges in Asia and Europe, specifically Japan and Germany.
Since 1945 Japan has chosen the mercantile road as its path to power, prestige and national restoration. Germany, specifically the Federal Republic of Germany, is heavily dependent upon world trade, exporting a full third of its manufactured goods.
Access to the U.S. market is central to the economies of Japan and the other nations of the Pacific Basin, writes National Review executive editor John McLaughlin, “and hence perhaps to their stability.” If protectionism takes hold, what would happen to Japan and to Western Europe, whose economic heart is in Germany? Protectionism, leading to a full-blown trade war, would likely break the extensive joint defense relationships between the U.S. and its primary World War II foes, now allies for the past 40 years.
Americans should then prepare to witness the emergence of a nuclear — armed Japan as well as a nuclear — armed united Europe with Germany at its core. It’s doubtful whether the American public and its elected representatives have thought out the likely end results of actions now under way.
Former Senate majority leader Howard H. Baker Jr. sounded this warning: “The disastrous Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 was rushed through Congress… and it took 14 years and a world war to straighten out the mess.” (Hogberg G. Prepare for Trade War! Plain Truth, January 1986)
Back in 1971, the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote the following:
Trade War Looming to Trigger World War III?
Either we start raising high tariff barriers against other countries, starting a TRADE WAR which in time will trigger the nuclear war that will DESTROY US – or, American workers are going to have to MEET the competition of the workers in other countries , by lowering living standards. Obviously American workers are not going to choose to do the latter. And if they don’t – well, THE HANDWRITING IS ON OUR NATIONAL WALL. (Armstrong HW. Trade War Looming to Trigger World War III? Plain Truth, 1971)
And while his basic impression of timing was off as was Gene Hogberg’s, it is correct that trade issues will be a factor that will trigger WWIII. A war that will be against the USA, Canada, and UK by a power that will reorganize (Revelation 17:12-13) and then rise in Europe. A Europe that is angry at the UK for Brexit and one that is mad at the USA for a host of reasons (including decisions of its current President Obama and statements by its President-elect Donald Trump).
There is a cost to trade wars and tariffs. Those who think otherwise are fooling themselves.
There are costs.
Related to trade wars and their causes, the old WCG put out the following:
WHY THE THREAT OF NEW TRADE WARS?
SUDDENLY, battles over trade are heating up! Charges and counter- charges of unfair trading practices are flying across oceans and national borders. Trading conflicts threaten to undermine relations between even the closest allies. …
Few yet grasp the danger that lies ahead because of trade disputes. The danger of trading conflicts with their whipsawing retaliation threatens to cause more than loss of jobs. It fore- bodes startling changes in alliances and military confrontations far more dangerous, because of modern technology, than experienced in the 1930s and 1940s. …
How did mankind get into repeated cycles of threats of trade war? There is a beginning cause! There will also be a tragic ending-and soon, unless nations change totally their ways of living. What is the cause of these problems? The Bible reveals the answer-believe it or not!
Source of Competitive Spirit
How many know there is a “father” of the world’s competitive spirit? How many know why that attitude of mind fills most of humanity? Competition truly is the “life of trade” today, as businessmen say. It fills almost every human activity. And it is the cause of evil, human conflict and war-including eco- nomic and trade wars!
The essence of the destructive competitive spirit is the attitude of getting the best of every deal-to take more than one gives. It is the attitude of being concerned only for oneself, getting now, making a quick killing for self. It is not concerned about what happens to others.
Destructive competition is the way of taking, exalting self, putting others down, pride and ridicule. It is the way of get.
There is, by contrast, an opposite way of life-the give way. The give way is the way of cooperation and encouragement, the way of helping, sharing and serving others with what one has. It is equal concern for others’ well-being as for oneself. It is willingness to work harmoniously, cooperatively, rather than with antagonism, hostility or threats of retaliation. One could also call the give way the love way of life.
All competition is not wrong. Beneficial competition can exist when persons are self-motivated to strive for the highest good and development of everyone.
“Iron sharpeneth iron,” says Scripture (Prov. 27: 17). When individuals are inspired to improve themselves because of the good example of another and the benefits they derive from the right way of living, that’s healthy competition. It’s worth promoting. But those blessed with more abilities or who have achieved greater accomplishments must realize they have the responsibility to help and inspire others to achieve higher standards of living. The destructive competitive spirit, by contrast, wants to “get all the marbles” and it’s too bad if others get hurt or left behind in the process.
Primary Source
The father of the world’s destructive competitive spirit is none other than Satan, a great fallen spirit being. The Bible reveals him as “the prince of the power of the air,” who bombards unsuspecting minds with his atti- tudes (Eph. 2:2-3).
But leading educators and economists today don’t see his influence on human minds at all. To even postulate in a forum of world econ- omists such a spirit being influenc- ing mankind, is to be ridiculed and labeled a lunatic.
But the God of the universe, who made all things, reveals to man in the Bible the real cause of competi- tive human nature.
Once there was no destructive competitive spirit anywhere in the earth – or universe. Scripture reveals that, before his rebellion against God, Satan was called Light-bringer – Lucifer in Latin.
Lucifer was an archangel, the most beautiful and intelligent being created by God. He was to be the bringer of God’s truth, God’s way of life to the earth.
But Lucifer allowed his beauty and brilliance of intellect to be filled with jealousy and the spirit of competition with God. He wanted to exalt his throne, which God had given him over the earth, to the level of God’s throne. He wanted to knock God off his throne by war and aggression. His mind and reasoning became perverted.
Lucifer led a host of angels whom he swayed with his attitude into rebellion against their Maker. But they were hurled back to earth. Lucifer’s name was changed to Satan, meaning Adversary. His fallen angels became demons. These events are revealed in Isaiah I 4: 12- 15, Ezekiel 28:12-17 and Luke 10:18.
God had originally created a per- fect and beautiful earth (Gen. I: I and Job 38:4- 7).
But Satan’s hostile and competitive nature led him to retaliate against God’s beautiful creation. He destroyed the surface of the earth. This is the cause of the destruction described in Genesis 1:2. The first two chapters of Genesis describe God’s re-creation of the earth to a habitable condition and the creation of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. These chapters reveal God talked directly with Adam and Eve. He gave them many personal instructions in the way to live. But Satan at the first opportunity implanted in the first couple attitudes of disbelief, doubt and rebel- lion against God (Gen. 3). They didn’t resist Satan’s thoughts. They chose to disbelieve God and experiment for themselves. They disobeyed and took (stole) of the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” They chose to decide for themselves what was good and evil.
For their rebellion and rejection of God’s ways, God cut them off from access to his Spirit-the way of love or give- symbolized by the “tree of life.”
All this knowledge is critical to understanding this evil world today! God decreed that mankind would be allowed to live its own ways of life for 6,000 years under Satan’s sway. God would intervene only to fulfill his purposes and plan. The Scriptures reveal Satan has deceived and misled all mankind (Rev. 12:9). The first sons of Adam and Eve-Cain and Abel-chose to fol- low diametrically opposite ways of life. Abel feared and obeyed God. He was led by God’s Spirit and was called “righteous Abel” (Matt. 23:35). But Cain “was of the evil one” (I John 3:12, RSV). …
Look at your own life. How secure is your job? Where would you turn if you lost your means of livelihood? How many humans in this world can boast of a secure means of livelihood?
The issue of trade war boils down to attempts on the part of governments-often for selfish political reasons- to protect jobs, the essential means of people’s livelihood and security. (Schroeder DD. WHY THE THREAT OF NEW TRADE WARS? Plain Truth, June-July 1982)
The Bible confirms that selfish covetousness is evil and causes wars:
9 “Woe to him who covets evil gain for his house,
That he may set his nest on high,
That he may be delivered from the power of disaster! (Habakkuk 2:9)1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. (James 4:1-2)
Wars, including trade wars, come from covetous lust.
There is a better way.
The way of love and give will be established in the coming Kingdom of God–read The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
God’s plan is all based on love (read also The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You?).
That said, how the current tariffs align with nearer term biblical prophecies is covered in our latest sermonette video:
Trade Wars – and the Winner will be …
US President Trump imposed tariffs on a global scale. Those tariffs were imposed on friend and foe alike. It seems as if President Trump is no respecter of nations. But how will this work out for the United States? Will these tariffs result in other nations drawing closer together that have had rather cold, and even not so cold, relations in the past? Will global tariffs result in trade wars? Were the events which are happening predicted by any in the Continuing Church of God? Is Europe drawing closer to China? Is Europe drawing closer to Latin and South America? With the exception of a few of America’s allies, is the net result of these tariffs a worldwide scramble to create new alliances and new trading partners to the exclusion of the United States? What will be the future result of these new alliances? Many of the nations that are now seeking new alliances were just recently America’s allies. They were her friends. Dr. Thiel brings to light the fate of America and her allies at the hands of her former friends, as revealed in the book of Lamentations. As we rapidly approach the end times listen in as Dr. Thiel brings to light world events. Then listen as he shines the light of Bible prophecy directly on the questions raised from these world events.
Here is a link to our video: Trade Wars – and the Winner will be …
Church of God warnings on trade are coming to pass.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
The Two Trees: Only Two Ways of Life This is from a two-part radio broadcast from Herbert W. Armstrong. Here is a video on: Cause and Effect: Two Trees, Two Ways.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in over 1,500 languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons: The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, Mystery of Race, and The Mystery of YOU. Here is a link to two videos in Spanish: El Misterio del Plan de Dios and El Misterio de Satanás, el Misterio de la Verdad, el Misterio del Reposo.
Trade Wars – and the Winner will be … US President Trump imposed tariffs on a global scale. Those tariffs were imposed on friend and foe alike. It seems as if President Trump is no respecter of nations. But how will this work out for the United States? Will these tariffs result in other nations drawing closer together that have had rather cold, and even not so cold, relations in the past? Will global tariffs result in trade wars? Were the events which are happening predicted by any in the Continuing Church of God? Is Europe drawing closer to China? Is Europe drawing closer to Latin and South America? With the exception of a few of America’s allies, is the net result of these tariffs a worldwide scramble to create new alliances and new trading partners to the exclusion of the United States? What will be the future result of these new alliances? Many of the nations that are now seeking new alliances were just recently America’s allies. They were her friends. Dr. Thiel brings to light the fate of America and her allies at the hands of her former friends, as revealed in the book of Lamentations. As we rapidly approach the end times listen in to this video as Dr. Thiel brings to light world events. Also listen as he shines the light of Bible prophecy directly on the questions raised from these world events.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
25 items to prophetically watch in 2025 Much is happening. Dr. Thiel points to 25 items to watch (cf. Mark 13:37) in this article. Here is a link to a related sermon video: 25 Items to Watch in 2025.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of Africa, Asia, South America, and the islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon; When Will the End of the Age Come?; Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Is Donald Trump going to save the USA or are there going to be many disastrous unintended consequences of his statements and policies? What will happen. The link takes you to a book available at Amazon.com.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Kindle edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?
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