Washington: President Donald Trump on Thursday announced an additional 10 per cent tariff on imports from China, saying Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is still flowing in the US.
The drug starts its journey in China and enters the US through Canada and Mexico.
President Trump had earlier announced a 10 per cent tariff on imports from China if the latter did not stop the drug, with a 25 per cent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, over Fentanyl and for allowing undocumented migrants from entering the US through their borders.
These tariffs, along with the additional 10 per cent on China, go into effect on March 4.
“Drugs are still pouring into our Country from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
“A large percentage of these Drugs, much of them in the form of Fentanyl, are made in, and supplied by, China.”
Saying further that more than 100,000 people died last year due Fentanyl use, he wrote, “We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA, and therefore, until it stops, or is seriously limited, the proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH 4 will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled. China will likewise be charged an additional 10 per cent Tariff on that date. The April 2 Reciprocal Tariff date will remain in full force and effect.”
Under the reciprocal tariff system, which comes into effect in April, the US is expected to levy the same duty on imports from trading partners as those imposed in US exports by these countries.
Trump has often named India among countries that could be targeted for reciprocal tariffs.
He has also said there are plans to hike duty on pharmaceuticals, and that could be steep for India, as it is the second largest importer of medicines, mostly generic, to the US after China. But no dates have been announced for it yet.
Earlier this week, the US President vowed to slap 25 per cent tariffs on the European Union, claiming the bloc was “formed to screw the United States”, although details remain sparse. Duties will be applied “generally”, Trump said, “on cars and all other things.”
(IANS)
