The China–U.S. trade war, beginning in 2018, represents the largest bilateral tariff conflict of the 21st century, reshaping global supply chains and trade policy.
Key Facts
- Conflict start
- January 2018
- U.S. tariff on Chinese goods (2025)
- 145%
- China tariff on U.S. goods (2025)
- 125%
- Phase-one agreement
- January 2020
- China's unmet import target
- $200 billion in additional imports
- Forecast global trade loss (2025)
- 0.2% of global merchandise trade
By the Numbers
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Trump administration accused China of longstanding unfair trade practices, intellectual property theft, and requiring the transfer of American technology. These grievances, combined with a large U.S.–China trade deficit, prompted the U.S. to impose tariffs and trade barriers beginning in January 2018.
The United States imposed escalating tariffs on Chinese goods, with China retaliating in kind. A tense phase-one agreement was reached in January 2020 but largely went unfulfilled. Under the second Trump administration in 2025, tariffs reached 145% on Chinese goods and 125% on American goods, with both sides excluding select items and seeking resolution.
The trade war disrupted global supply chains and was widely judged a failure for the U.S. by the end of Trump's first term. The Biden administration retained existing tariffs and added new levies on electric vehicles and solar panels. The 2025 escalation is forecast to reduce global merchandise trade by 0.2%, with ongoing negotiations seeking a diplomatic resolution.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Donald Trump, Joe Biden.
Side B
1 belligerent
Xi Jinping.