Trump’s aggressive tariffs: an attempt to curb Beijing’s expansionist policy and create an “entry ticket” for countries eager to negotiate with Washington

On April 2, 2025, Donald Trump imposed import tariffs on most major countries, including 34% on goods from China, 46% from Vietnam, and 20% from the European Union, 25% from South Korea, and 24% from Japan.

The tariffs are reportedly the highest in more than 100 years, with former US President William McKinley imposing tariffs of more than 50% in the 19th century.

By imposing large-scale tariffs on imported goods, the United States, in addition to changing global trade balances and competitive conditions, is jeopardizing the ambitions of China and the BRICS to create new currencies such as CBDC, mBridge, and CIPS.