Trump Hits China with 100% Tariff as Beijing Halts Rare Earth Exports, A New Trade War Erupts

The simmering tension between Washington and Beijing has erupted once again, as U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 100% tariff on all Chinese imports, effective November 1, 2025. The move comes just days after China imposed a sweeping ban on the export of rare earth minerals and related technologies to the United States — a sector critical for defense, semiconductors, and green energy production.

This escalation marks one of the most aggressive phases of the ongoing trade conflict between the world’s two largest economies. Trump justified the decision by calling China’s export curbs “an act of economic aggression,” accusing Beijing of “weaponizing global supply chains” to undermine U.S. industries.

In response, China’s Ministry of Commerce defended its decision, stating that the export ban was implemented to “protect national security and ensure sustainable resource management.” However, the timing suggests a clear retaliatory measure against Washington’s recent tariffs and sanctions targeting Chinese tech and defense-linked companies.

Rare earth minerals — a group of 17 elements crucial to manufacturing fighter jets, electric vehicles, smartphones, and renewable energy systems — are overwhelmingly dominated by China, which controls nearly 70% of global supply. The ban has already sparked fears of shortages in U.S. manufacturing sectors dependent on these materials.

Trump’s latest tariff doubles down on the protectionist policies that defined his first presidency, signaling a return to economic nationalism and a hardline approach toward China. Critics warn that this trade escalation could reignite global inflationary pressures, disrupt supply chains, and hurt American consumers already struggling with rising prices.

On the other hand, Trump’s supporters hail the move as a “bold defense of American sovereignty”, arguing that the U.S. can no longer depend on China for critical resources.

With the global economy already walking a tightrope, this confrontation may define the next chapter of global trade — not just as a battle of tariffs, but as a struggle for technological dominance and resource control.

The U.S.–China economic war has entered a new and dangerous phase — one where trade is no longer about goods and numbers, but about power, independence, and control over the future.