U.S. & China Agree to Slash Tariffs for 90 Days - Modern Distribution Management

U.S. & China Agree to Slash Tariffs for 90 Days

The U.S. and China agreed Monday to a 90-day truce that features a drastic reduction of their respective 145% and 125% tariffs on each other’s goods.
China United States trade and American tariffs as two opposing cargo ships as an economic taxation dispute over import and exports concept as a 3D illustration.

The United States and China announced an agreement Monday to suspend the majority of tariffs on each other’s goods and a 90-day truce during a joint news conference in Geneva

The U.S. will reduce its tariff on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, and within that, will lower its 125% reciprocal tariffs on Chinese goods to 10%. Meanwhile, China plans to cut its tariff on U.S. goods by a similar 115 percentage points, bringing it down to 10%. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer detailed the figures in a news conference Monday morning after a meeting with Chinese officials.

The measures are set to take effect Wednesday.

MDM Case Study: MSC Industrial Supply (Premium access here) 

A joint statement released by both countries said China also agreed to halt or eliminate additional measures it had implemented since April 2 in response to the tariffs. However, the U.S. will retain a 20% tariffs tied to fentanyl, and tariffs that predate President Trump’s second term will remain in effect.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the 90-day agreement doesn’t include any broad sector-specific tariffs that have been levied against all trading partners, and that no discussions have happened regarding currencies.

“The consensus from both delegations this weekend is neither side wants a decoupling. And what had occurred with these very high tariff … was an embargo, the equivalent of an embargo. And neither side wants that. We do want trade,” Bessent said in response to the tariff announcement.

“This initiative aligns with the expectations of producers and consumers in both countries and serves the interests of both nations as well as the common interests of the world,” China’s Commerce Ministry added when speaking to reporters.

Get Our 1Q25 MDM Forecast Report (Premium access here) 

Markets responded quickly to the news of the tariff suspension, with S&P 500 futures rising 2.6% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing 2%. Oil prices jumped by more than $1.60 per barrel, while the dollar strengthened against both the euro and the Japanese yen.

Read more about the impact of recent tariffs on distribution:

Related Posts

Share this article

About the Author
Recommended Reading
Leave a Reply

Leave a Comment

Sign Up for the MDM Update Newsletter

The MDM update newsletter is your best source for news and trends in the wholesale distribution industry.

2

articles left

Want more Premium content from MDM?

Subscribe today and get:

  • New issues twice each month
  • Unlimited access to mdm.com, including 10+ years of archived data
  • Current trends analysis, market data and economic updates
  • Discounts on select store products and events

Subscribe to continue reading

MDM Premium Subscribers get:

  • Unlimited access to MDM.com
  • 1 year digital subscription, with new issues twice a month
  • Trends analysis, market data and quarterly economic updates
  • Deals on select store products and events

1

article
left

You have one free article remaining

Subscribe to MDM Premium to get unlimited access. Your subscription includes:

  • Two new issues a month
  • Access to 10+ years of archived data on mdm.com
  • Quarterly economic updates, trends analysis and market data
  • Store and event discounts

To continue reading, you must be an MDM Premium subscriber.

Join other distribution executives who use MDM Premium to optimize their business. Our insights and analysis help you enter the right new markets, turbocharge your sales and marketing efforts, identify business partners that help you scale, and stay ahead of your competitors.

Register for full access

By providing your email, you agree to receive announcements from us and our partners for our newsletter, events, surveys, and partner resources per MDM Terms & Conditions. You can withdraw consent at any time.

Learn More about Custom Reports

Request a Market Prospector Demo

Name(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Get the MDM Update Newsletter

Wholesale distribution news and trends delivered right to your inbox.

Sign-up for our free newsletter and get:

  • Up-to-date news in a quick-to-read format
  • Free access to webcasts, podcasts and live events
  • Exclusive whitepapers, research and reports
  • And more!