Washington, April 18, 2025 – President Donald Trump’s trade war with China hit a new peak Tuesday, with the White House jacking tariffs on Chinese imports to a staggering 245%, up from 145%, in retaliation for Beijing’s 125% duties on US goods, per Times of India. The move, announced April 15, targets $439 billion in 2024 imports—electronics, steel, drugs—deepening a global economic storm that’s tanked markets and sparked fears of recession (web:5,24). Trump’s softer tone Thursday, hinting at “good deals” with China, did little to calm nerves (web:5).
China’s response was swift—halting Boeing deliveries and eyeing WTO lawsuits, with Foreign Ministry’s Lin Jian vowing to “fight to the end” (The Indian Express, web:8). The US Dow plunged 3% Tuesday, while Shanghai’s CSI 300 teetered (Bloomberg). India, spared at a 10% tariff pause until July, watches warily—$77.5 billion in US exports, like iPhones, face ripple risks (IBEF, web:24). “China’s pain is our gain, but not for long,” a Surat exporter told The Economic Times. X buzzes—“Trump’s killing jobs!”—yet some cheer: “Make China pay!” (post:1).
Trump’s team, led by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, defends the tariffs as a “national security” flex, citing fentanyl flows (web:5). But critics, like billionaire Richard Branson, warn of “ruin” for US consumers—$1,300 per household in costs (Tax Foundation, web:11). Apple’s stock, reliant on Chinese plants, shed 4% Wednesday; Tesla, backed by Elon Musk, braces for blows despite India’s production (The Hindu, web:11). Goldman Sachs pegs a 45% recession odds, with 2025 GDP growth at 0.5% (CNN, web:12).
India’s dodging direct hits—Goyal’s US trade talks aim for $500 billion by 2030 (Times of India). But Reliance’s Shein deal, tied to Chinese supply chains, wobbles (Business Standard). For India’s 90 crore netizens, it’s a tightrope—textile hubs eye US gaps, but global chaos looms (India Today). Will Trump’s tariff spree force a deal, or crash the world economy?
