Trump suspends global tariffs for 90 days, but hikes China’s to 125%
Washington: In a dramatic shift in his trade policy, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a 90-day suspension of increased tariffs for most countries, while simultaneously raising tariffs on Chinese goods to a steep 125%. Trump said the move was prompted by China's continued disregard for global market norms and accused Beijing of "ripping off" the United States.
The announcement, made via Trump’s Truth Social account, comes after a week of global market turbulence. Wall Street responded immediately, with the S&P 500 surging by 6% to reach 5,281.44. Trump claimed the decision followed overtures from over 75 countries seeking negotiations and choosing not to retaliate against the US.
“All countries will face a flat 10% tariff which took effect on Saturday,” Trump said, describing it as a baseline. The temporary pause does not apply to China, where the US has now more than doubled the tariff rate from the earlier 104%.
"Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World's Markets, I am hereby raising the tariff charged to China... to 125%, effective immediately," he added.
In retaliation, China raised its tariffs on American goods to 84%. The Chinese Finance Ministry criticised the escalation, saying it compounded earlier mistakes.
Despite the rising tension with China, Trump noted that many countries were rushing to make trade deals, even boasting at a dinner with Republicans that foreign leaders were “calling us up kissing my a**.”
Trump justified his broader pause by pointing to market reactions, claiming people were “yippy” and “afraid,” and remarked that the bond market looked “beautiful” after the announcement.
The European Union, meanwhile, responded to earlier US duties by imposing retaliatory tariffs on more than €20 billion worth of American products, including soybeans, motorcycles, and beauty products, though it refrained from reacting to the 20% tariffs that took effect early Wednesday.
Trump’s sweeping tariff policy, initially rolled out on what he dubbed “Liberation Day,” included a 10% baseline tariff for all nations and additional rates for countries with trade surpluses with the US. While his goal, according to the administration, is to restore American manufacturing, the decision has rattled global trade and sparked diplomatic concerns.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned nations against aligning with China, saying it would be “cutting your own throat.” In Panama, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called attention to Beijing’s growing influence, particularly around the Panama Canal.
As tensions mount, the World Trade Organization warned of significant consequences. Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala stated the trade war could shrink merchandise trade between the US and China by as much as 80%, cautioning that it could “severely damage the global economic outlook.”
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
