Welcome to China Tariff News and Tracker, your daily source for all the latest on U.S.-China tariff policy, economic impacts, and headline developments shaping global trade. Today is October 17, 2025, and the tariff tensions between the U.S. and China are dominating news cycles once again.

Listeners, the biggest story this week comes directly from the Trump administration. On October 10th, President Trump announced sweeping new tariffs, declaring an additional 100-percent tariff on most imports from China, effective November 1. This marks a dramatic escalation from prior rates and is widely seen as a practical embargo on a vast array of Chinese goods. This action rises sharply from the 25-percent tariff that was in place as of last September, showing a significant hardening in U.S. trade policy. According to the American Action Forum, beyond these blanket tariffs, specific categories like ship-to-shore cranes will also see explicit 100-percent duties, starting November 9.

The escalation comes as direct retaliation after China imposed its own export controls on rare earths on October 9. Rare earths are essential minerals for U.S. defense and tech manufacturing, and China controls around 70 percent of mining and 90 percent of processing for these vital materials. Starting November 8, China’s export controls will extend to lithium and diamond products as well, severely impacting U.S. access to these supply chains. From December 1, any product containing a rare earth component above 0.1 percent will require special Chinese government approval to export.

This trading tit-for-tat has real consequences for American businesses and consumers. Finhabits reports that new and expanded U.S. tariffs enacted in mid-October, such as 10 percent on softwood lumber and 25 percent on furniture and other big-ticket items, are pushing up import costs. These increases feed directly into higher retail prices for American households, hitting home improvement, furniture, and construction the hardest this quarter. Major forecasters estimate tariffs have added between 0.3 to 0.4 percentage points to core inflation, keeping borrowing rates elevated and making it more expensive for Americans to finance everyday purchases.

America’s fashion industry is also feeling the squeeze. A recent thematic analysis of quarterly earnings calls found that leading U.S. brands are projecting tens of millions of dollars in added yearly costs due to tariffs. Companies like American Eagle, Victoria’s Secret, and Tapestry are all facing profit pressures, and many expect the impact from the latest tariff increases to accelerate sharply in the final months of 2025.

All eyes are now on the upcoming meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit starting October 31. The outcome could determine whether the U.S. postpones tariffs or whether both sides double down, risking a further escalation.

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