Trump Again Spreads Threats To Increase EU-China Import Tariffs

US President Donald Trump/PHOTO via Instagram @realdonaldtrump

JAKARTA - US President Donald Trump promised to charge the European Union a tariff. His government is now also discussing import duties of 10 percent of China's imports because fentanyl was sent from China to the US via Mexico and Canada.

Trump voiced his latest tariff threat in remarks to reporters at the White House the day after taking office without immediately charging the rates he promised during the campaign.

This statement puts pressure on Trump's longstanding desire to impose a wider import duty and a new deadline on February 1 for a 25 percent tariff on Canada and Mexico, as well as import duties on China and the European Union (EU).

Trump said the EU and other countries were also experiencing a trade surplus with the United States.

"European University is very, very bad at us," Trump said.

Trump previously said he was considering imposing import duties on Canada and Mexico unless the country suppressed illegal migrant and fentanyl trade, including precursor chemicals from China across the US border.

Trump previously threatened to impose a 10 percent import duty on Chinese imports because of the trade, but adjusted it to the set deadline on February 1.

China says it is willing to maintain communication with the US to address differences well and expand mutually beneficial cooperation.

It aims to improve stable and sustainable relations with the US, China's foreign ministry said.

"We always believe that there are no winners in trade wars or tariff wars. China will always strictly safeguard its national interests," ministry spokesman Mao Ning told reporters at a regular press conference on Wednesday, January 22.

White House trading adviser Peter Navarro told CNBC the threat of Trump's rates against Canada and Mexico was to pressure the two countries to stop illegal migrants and illegal drugs from entering the US.

"The reason why he considers 25, 25 and 10 (percent), or whatever will happen, in Canada, Mexico and China, is because 300 Americans die daily from fentanyl overdose," Navarro said.