US President Donald Trump on Monday announced a 90-day extension to the suspension of increased tariffs on Chinese goods, postponing the scheduled reimposition of higher duties set to expire Tuesday. The tariff pause will now last until November 10.
Trump confirmed the move on his Truth Social platform, stating he had signed an executive order extending the current tariff suspension. This follows a May agreement between Washington and Beijing to lower tariffs from previously escalating, prohibitive levels to a temporary truce of 30 percent on US tariffs and 10 percent on Chinese tariffs.
Chinese state media Xinhua echoed the extension, noting China will maintain its tariff suspension for the same 90-day period starting August 12. The report added China will continue to suspend or remove certain non-tariff countermeasures as agreed in recent talks held in Stockholm and Geneva.
The White House order emphasized ongoing concerns over the persistent US trade deficit with China, describing it as a significant threat to national security and the economy. It acknowledged continued negotiations aimed at addressing trade imbalances, while recognizing some progress made by China toward US demands.
Experts remain cautious about the prospects of a swift resolution. William Yang of the International Crisis Group suggested China may leverage its control over rare earth exports to maintain pressure during talks. Meanwhile, Sean Stein of the US-China Business Council called the tariff extension “critical” for providing companies the certainty needed to plan ahead.
The extension could pave the way for a possible Trump-Xi summit this fall, according to Asia Society’s Wendy Cutler, though she warned that resolving the issues will be challenging.
The tariff conflict began with modest hikes in early 2024 but quickly escalated to levels as high as 145 percent on some Chinese goods before the May truce reduced them to 30 percent. Despite the agreement, tensions have persisted, with accusations of pact violations emerging during talks in London and Stockholm.
Separately, the Trump administration has applied a 10-percent “reciprocal” tariff on many other trading partners since January, with rates rising last week to 15 percent or higher for countries including the EU, Japan, and South Korea. The tariffs exclude certain sectors under investigation or previously targeted.
Trump clarified Monday that gold imports would not face additional tariffs after customs guidance raised concerns about potential targeting of gold bars.
