Fresh US tariffs on Chinese goods take effect

Washington, DC, USA

As US and Chinese trade negotiators prepared for talks, US customs on Thursday began to collect extra 25 per cent duties on 279 Chinese import product categories valued at $16 billion.

Also Read: Chinese state media accuse US of 'mobster mentality', vow to fight tariffs 

It completes the first round of $50 billion in products that President Donald Trump targeted, after $34 billion in goods were hit with punitive duties on July 6. 

China has said it will hit back with its trade measures on the US with a list of $16 billion worth of imports from the United States effective 12:01 pm local time Thursday. The US tariffs which were to come into effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT) on Thursday, are now in operation.

As the new US tariffs kicked in, China said it will 'counter-attack' the latest US tariffs

Meanwhile, US and Mexican officials are expected to wrap up talks on North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA) that could pave the way for Canada to rejoin the talks. 

In an attempt to cut the trade deficit with China, President Trump has threatened to impose duties on $500 billion Chinese goods exported annually to the United States.

Trump administrations latest tariffs apply to semiconductors, plastics, chemicals and railway equipment. 

China has listed 333 US product categories which it has decided to hit with duties which include coal, copper scrap, fuel, steel products, buses and medical equipment.