China will increase tariffs on US goods by 50 percent, bringing it to a total of 84 percent, the finance ministry said on Wednesday.

The tariff, which previously stood at 34 percent, takes effect from Thursday at 12.01pm Hong Kong time.

"The tariff escalation against China by the United States simply piles mistakes on top of mistakes [and] severely infringes on China's legitimate rights and interests," the ministry said.

Washington's moves "severely damage the multilateral rules-based trade system", it added.

It comes as US tariffs of 104 percent for Chinese goods came into force on Wednesday. They had been set at 54 percent.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that countries which do not retaliate to US President Donald Trump's fresh tariffs would not face higher rates.

"I think what a lot of people are missing here is that the levels that were put out last Wednesday are a ceiling, if you don't retaliate," Bessent told a summit in Washington, adding that China has chosen to escalate the situation.

Beijing had earlier on Wednesday said the nation will resolutely take countermeasures and fight till the end if the US insists on further escalating economic and trade restrictive measures.

It has also told the World Trade Organization that the US' tariffs threatened to further destabilise global trade.

"The situation has dangerously escalated...As one of the affected members, China expresses grave concern and firm opposition to this reckless move," it said in a statement to the WTO.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism late on Wednesday issued a travel alert for Chinese people visiting the US.

The ministry said it issued the alert because of the worsening economic and trade relations between the two countries, as well as the security situation in the US. (Additional reporting by Reuters and AFP)
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Last updated: 2025-04-09 HKT 22:22