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US-China trade war
EconomyChina Economy

A US court has blocked Trump’s tariffs. What does that mean for China?

The court order is a setback for US President Donald Trump’s agenda, but is unlikely to stop his tariff roll-out for long, analysts said

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US President Donald Trump announced sweeping so-called “reciprocal” tariffs on dozens of countries in Washington on April 2. A US court order has now blocked the duties, after judges ruled that the president overstepped his authority in imposing the tariffs. Photo: AFP
Ralph JenningsandKandy Wong

A US court order blocking President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs marks a setback for the US leader, but is unlikely to provide China and other American trading partners with more than a temporary reprieve, analysts said.

The Trump administration has already filed an appeal to stop the tariff block with a Federal Circuit court, and even if that effort fails he could potentially reinstate the tariffs using other methods, they added.

A three-judge panel at the New York-based US Court of International Trade said in a joint verdict on Wednesday that Trump had overstepped his authority by using an emergency act to impose sweeping so-called “reciprocal” tariffs on dozens of countries on April 2.
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Twelve US states and five American businesses filed lawsuits to block the executive actions, which were used to raise duties on Chinese goods by an eye-watering 145 percentage points after a series of tit-for-tat exchanges with Beijing.

The Trump administration later suspended most of the “reciprocal” tariffs – including those aimed at China – for 90 days pending negotiations with the target countries, but some stayed in effect and the threat of another hike in duties remained.
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Wednesday’s ruling gives the US administration 10 days to quit collecting tariffs, though it does allow for refunds on duties already collected.

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