The tit-for-tat tariff hikes between US and China have continued over the past week, and the White House has made its stance clear to all it’s trading partners, “DO NOT RETALIATE AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED”.

China continues its unyielding stance against US tariffs

China, has thus fare choose to continue with its current unyielding stance against the US. According to state-run news agency Xinhua, Beijing’s 84% tariffs on U.S. imports took effect at 12:01 PM on Thursday. Before the new duties were implemented, China’s Commerce Minister had described the U.S. measures as a “serious infringement” on the rights of all countries.

“There is no winner in a trade war, and China does not want one. But the Chinese government will not sit idle while the legitimate rights and interests of its people are harmed,” an official from the ministry stated.

Trump’s U turn on tariffs after Stock markets falls

Trump’s sudden reversal came less than 24 hours after the new tariffs took effect, following a wave of financial market turmoil reminiscent of the early COVID-19 era. The selloff wiped out trillions in market value and caused a sharp rise in U.S. bond yields, reportedly drawing the President’s attention.

“I thought people were getting a little out of line — they were getting yippy,” Trump remarked to reporters, using a golf analogy.

ALSO READ : ‘They’re kissing my a**’: Trump boasts of global surrender as tariff blitz hits China, India

Since returning to office in January, Trump has frequently made aggressive trade threats, only to walk them back later. This unpredictable pattern has unsettled global leaders and the business community alike. While he claimed to have considered a tariff pause for several days, the White House had dismissed reports of such a move earlier in the week as “fake news.”

Still, the tariff rollback is not comprehensive. A 10% general duty on nearly all imports remains in place. Tariffs on automobiles, steel, and aluminum also continue unaffected. Additionally, Canada and Mexico are not covered by the 90-day pause. Their exports are still subject to 25% fentanyl-related duties unless they fully comply with the rules of origin under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Those penalties remain for now, though compliant goods are exempt indefinitely.

Uncertainty grips US trade policy

The US administration’s handling of the tariffs has underscored the uncertainty surrounding U.S. trade policy. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent insisted the temporary pullback was always part of a broader plan to bring nations to the negotiating table. Trump, however, later suggested that the extreme market reaction played a role in the decision.

“You have to be flexible,” he told reporters, despite earlier insisting that his approach would not change. He told to reporters on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: Amid US-China trade war, a look at what the countries buy from each other

China Unlikely to back down says experts

Analysts say that while the tariff freeze may offer relief to some nations, it’s unlikely to alter China’s approach.

“Beijing believes Trump views concessions as a sign of weakness. So yielding would only invite further pressure,” said Daniel Russel, vice president of international security and diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute. “Other countries may welcome the 90-day reprieve — if it lasts — but the constant back-and-forth only adds to the uncertainty businesses and governments dislike.”

While Trump signaled that a resolution with China was still possible, administration officials indicated that priority would be given to talks with other trade partners.

“China wants to make a deal,” Trump said. “They just don’t quite know how to go about it.”