Trade war: China hits back at US with new tariffs
Beijing, Aug 8 : China on Wednesday announced that it will slap additional 25 per cent tariff on $16 billion worth of US products in retaliation to Washington's latest round of duties, escalating the trade battle between the two countries.
The 25 per cent tariffs will come into effect on August 23 and target 333 US products including coal, bicycles, trucks, vehicle engines and chemicals, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council said.
The move came after US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced similar tariffs on China, affecting imports such as electronic parts, plastics, chemicals, batteries and railway cars.
In a statement, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said that the US once again put domestic law above international law by imposing "very unreasonable" new tariffs on Chinese goods. Beijing will implement the tariff measure with the US simultaneously, the ministry said.
The tariffs mark the latest round in a protracted trade battle between Trump and China, with tens of billions of dollars in tariffs against Beijing already in effect.
China has hit back with retaliatory tariffs, many of which targeted agricultural industries in states in the midwest that overwhelming went for Trump in 2016.
The Department of Agriculture earlier announced a $12 billion aid plan to help farmers affected by Chinese tariffs, despite criticism from lawmakers in both parties.
Trump also imposed steep tariffs on imported steel and aluminum from Canada, Mexico and the EU. Businesses in the US complained that the tariffs were forcing them to raise prices and eliminate jobs.
Earlier, Trump asserted that the measures were "working big time", and again vowed to imposed tariffs against countries that doesn't want to "make or build" products in the US.
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FIR against Haryana BJP chief in gang-rape case: Cong seeks his removal, questions PM's 'silence'
New Delhi, Jan 15: The Congress Wednesday slammed the BJP over the FIR registered against the party's Haryana unit chief for alleged gang rape, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi must answer why the accused has still not been removed from the post despite such a serious allegation against him.
Haryana BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli and a singer were booked after a woman alleged that she was raped by them in a hotel in Himachal Pradesh's Kasauli. Police have registered an FIR against the two men, officials said.
According to the complainant, the two men made videos of the act and threatened to kill the victim if she informed anyone about the incident.
Addressing a press conference here, Mahila Congress chief Alka Lamba alleged that the Haryana BJP state president was involved in the girl's gang rape on the pretext of getting her a permanent government job.
She claimed BJP leaders have been involved in committing crimes against women earlier too.
BJP MP Brijbhushan Sharan Singh was accused of sexual harassment and BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar was accused of rape, while in Karnataka, the BJP gave a poll ticket to "mass rapist" Prajwal Revanna and the Prime Minister went to campaign for him, she said.
"BJP leaders are able to muster the courage to commit sexual harassment because their party is standing with them," she said, alleging that the prime minister's 'Beti Bachao' slogan is a sham.
"The truth is that daughters have to be saved from BJP leaders only. The Congress government will not allow injustice to happen to any daughter," Lamba said.
Demanding that Badoli be removed from his post, the Congress leader said, "BJP president J P Nadda ji, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and Amit Shah ji, the law is in your hands. You create pressure, hence no action is taken against the criminals and daughters do not get justice."
"The BJP will have to answer how their (Haryana) state president is still in his post after such a serious allegation. The prime minister, home minister, BJP Mahila Morcha, BJP's national president and big leaders must answer," she said.
"On one hand, an FIR has been filed against Haryana BJP president on rape charges... in Madhya Pradesh, BJP leader Ajit Pal Singh Chauhan has been arrested for raping a woman. In such an environment, the Women’s Commission, which has the responsibility of providing justice to women, is silent. The daughters of the country are demanding justice, but PM Modi is silent," Lamba said.
Referring to the BJP's Delhi Assembly poll candidate Ramesh Bidhuri's remark that he will make roads which will be like Congress leader "Priyanka Gandhi’s cheeks", Lamba said the comments prove how much respect his party has for women.
"Bidhuri's eyes are more on the cheeks of mothers, sisters and daughters than on the roads. Women protested against the lowly statement, after which he had to apologize. However, Bidhuri is continuously making objectionable statements," she said.
The BJP is silent over Bidhuri's statements and is promoting such language instead, the Mahila Congress chief claimed.
