 "China has pushed back again on US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies by hiking its levies on US imports to more than 80 per cent. File image/Reuters")
Brace yourself for a hectic Thursday (April 10).
A trade war looms between China and the US as Beijing’s 84 per cent tariffs on American products will take effect today. On this day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will also visit South Africa. Additionally, the United Kingdom and France will host a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in defence ministers format at the Nato headquarters.
On Thursday, delegates from the US and Russia will also meet in Istanbul as part of continued efforts to normalise embassy operations between the two countries.
Here’s what else to expect from the day.
China’s tariffs on US products to kick in
On Thursday, China’s 84 per cent reciprocal tariffs on American products will kick into effect. Last Friday, China had said that it would impose reciprocal 34 per cent tariffs on all imports from the United States. Then on Wednesday, it upped the ante by adding another 50 per cent, making good on a promise to strike back.
On April 2, Trump unveiled an additional 34 per cent tariff on all Chinese goods imported into the US. “This practice of the US is not in line with international trade rules, seriously undermines China’s legitimate rights and interests, and is a typical unilateral bullying practice,” China’s State Council Tariff Commission said in a statement announcing its retaliatory tariffs.
Interestingly, China’s tariffs on US come a day after American tariffs of 104 per cent on Beijing kicked in. The harsh levy came as Trump warned the Xi Jinping-led country to take back its tariff plan.
Experts note that the tariffs slapped on each other by both nations will lead to a trade war with disastrous effects on the global economy.
‘Coalition of the Willing’ defence chiefs to meet
On Thursday, defence ministers from the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ will gather in Brussels, under the leadership of their counterparts from the United Kingdom and France.
“Discussions will continue this coming week as the Defence Secretary [John Healey] hosts the next meeting of Coalition of the Willing defence ministers in Brussels with his French counterpart on Thursday and chairs the Ukraine Defence Contact Group with his German counterpart on Friday,” the statement reads.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsFor those unaware, the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ is a reassurance force that will be made up of Western soldiers and eventually aim to be deployed on Ukrainian soil.
The seeds of the coalition were planted on February 17, when French President Emmanuel Macron convened a small meeting of leaders in reaction to the Trump-Putin phone call. Less than two weeks later, as Europe was reeling from the disastrous encounter that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had experienced in the Oval Office, Britain’s Keir Starmer hosted a second meeting of leaders in London, with a longer list of attendants. At the end of the closely watched deliberations, the prime minister publicly declared the birth of a “Coalition of the Willing”, co-led by Britain and France.
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy to travel to South Africa
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit South Africa today and hold talks with South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa on finding “a path to peace” with Russia.
Zelenskyy’s visit on April 10 will be a continuation of Ramaphosa’s ongoing engagements with both Ukraine and Russia for “an inclusive peace process,” spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.
South Africa has adopted a neutral position in the war and has attempted to act as a mediator between the sides, although with limited success. Ramaphosa led an African peace mission to Russia and Ukraine in 2023 and met with both Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ramaphosa has held separate calls with both leaders since then.
US and Russia to hold talks in Istanbul
American and Russian delegations will meet in Istanbul today to “solely” discuss stabilising bilateral embassy operations.
The talks, which will take place at the Russian consulate in Turkey’s capital, will not include any discussion of political or security issues, the US said. “Ukraine is not, absolutely not, on the agenda,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.
Speaking at a daily press briefing on Tuesday, Bruce said the negotiations would focus “solely” on the functioning of the respective embassies, “not on normalising a bilateral relationship overall”.
Over the past decade, Washington and Moscow have expelled numerous diplomats and restricted the appointment of new officials. Diplomatic ties were then all but severed after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
However, there has been a thaw in relations under the Trump administration.