Trump halves fentanyl-related tariffs on China, but warns of reversal if demands not met
Executive order warns the duties could return if China fails to deliver, with compliance under close watch
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday formally halved US tariffs on Chinese goods linked to the fentanyl crisis.
In a move long sought by Beijing and sealed after months of tense negotiations, Trump also warned that the tariff relief could be reversed if China fails to deliver on its commitments.
China has “committed to take significant measures to end the flow of fentanyl to the United States, including stopping the shipment of certain designated chemicals to North America and strictly controlling exports of certain other chemicals to all destinations in the world”, Trump’s order stated.
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The directive added that should China fail to implement its commitments, Trump may “modify this order as necessary to deal with the emergency”.
China spent months pushing for the rollback of the so-called “fentanyl tariffs” – first imposed at 10 per cent in February and later doubled weeks later as punishment for what the Trump administration saw as Beijing’s inaction on precursor chemical exports.