President Trump will impose 25 percent tariffs on $16 billion worth of Chinese imports starting Aug. 23, the United States Trade Representative announced Tuesday.
The tariffs will affect goods such as electronic parts, plastics, chemicals, batteries, and railway cars.
The new round of tariffs completes Trump’s threat to impose $50 billion of import taxes on Chinese goods. The first $34 billion-worth went into effect on July 6.
China has already slapped back at the U.S. with its own tariffs on American goods, specifically targeting products from politically sensitive areas. It is expected to respond in kind to the latest round of tariffs.
Trump has indicated that the tariffs are meant to bring about better trade deals. The U.S. is currently in the process of renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. In late July, Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said they would embark on negotiations for a new trade deal between the U.S. and the E.U., and freeze the escalating tit-for-tat tariffs.