China, US kick off new round of tariffs in trade war

BEIJING, Sept 01 (Reuters): China and the United States began imposing additional tariffs on each other's goods on Sunday, the latest escalation in a bruising trade war, despite signs that talks would resume some time this month.

A new round of tariffs took effect from 0401 GMT, with Beijing's levy of 5.0 per cent on US crude marking the first time the fuel has been targeted since the world's two largest economies started their trade war more than a year ago.

The Trump administration will begin collecting 15 per cent tariffs on more than $125 billion in Chinese imports, including smart speakers, Bluetooth headphones and many types of footwear.

In retaliation, China started to impose additional tariffs on some of the US goods on a $75-billion target list. Beijing did not specify the value of the goods that face higher tariffs from Sunday.

The extra tariffs of 5 per cent and 10 per cent were levied on 1,717 items of a total of 5,078 products originating from the United States. Beijing will start collecting additional tariffs on the rest from Dec. 15. Chinese state media struck a defiant note.

"The United States should learn how to behave like a responsible global power and stop acting as a 'school bully'," the official Xinhua news agency said.

"As the world's only superpower, it needs to shoulder its due responsibility, and join other countries in making this world a better and more prosperous place. Only then can America become great again."

Tariffs could not impede China's development, said the official People's Daily of the ruling Communist Party.