After the US Supreme Court invalidated most of the duties imposed by Donald Trump last year, the call has been made by Beijing’s Commerce Ministry.
Following a ruling by the US Supreme Court that effectively nullified most of the measures, China has called on the US to revoke the unilateral tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
Early last year, Trump imposed tariffs on numerous trading partners, accusing them of engaging in unfair trade practices. Most of these partners faced a standard 10% base tariff, with additional surcharges for significant trade imbalances. However, late last week, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump did not have the authority to impose tariffs under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), effectively rendering most of the measures invalid.
In a statement on Monday, the Chinese Commerce Ministry urged Washington to remove the tariffs, arguing that they now even violate US domestic law.
“China has always opposed all forms of unilateral tariff hikes and has repeatedly emphasized that there are no winners in a trade war,” the ministry stated. “The US’s unilateral measures… violate both international trade rules and US domestic law. China calls on the US to cancel its unilateral tariff measures.”
US-China relations have been tense for years, especially regarding economic and technological issues. However, Trump’s tariff increases last year sparked a full – scale trade war. At one point, US tariffs on Chinese goods reached 145%, while Chinese tariffs on US goods reached 125%. In November, a one – year halt in tit – for – tat escalations was achieved, under which both sides reduced tariffs to around 10% in some sectors.
It is reported that a comprehensive trade deal is expected to be discussed during Trump’s state visit to Beijing in late March. Some analysts say that the Supreme Court ruling strengthens China’s negotiating position as it limits the Trump administration’s unilateral tariff authority.
Trump reacted angrily to the ruling, signing an order to impose a temporary 15% global tariff under a different law. According to Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the administration is preparing alternative legal measures to reimpose permanent tariffs, including trade investigations into “unfair trade practices” targeting major partners. Greer later said that the US expects partners that agreed to deals under tariff pressure – including the UK, South Korea, and the EU – to “stand by” their commitments despite the ruling.
US partners had mixed reactions to the ruling. The European Commission demanded “full clarity” on US intentions and insisted that Washington honor the 2025 agreement capping tariffs. India reportedly postponed a trade delegation headed to Washington to finalize an interim trade deal, citing “fresh uncertainty” after the court decision and Trump’s angry reaction.