China is introducing tariffs on imported coal, liquefied natural gas, oil, agricultural machinery, and automobiles from the United States, the Ministry of Finance of the People's Republic of China announced on Tuesday, as reported by Interfax-Kazakhstan.
Coal and gas will be subject to a 15% tariff, while oil, agricultural machinery, and automobiles will face a 10% tariff, according to the statement.
Export control measures are also being implemented on products containing tungsten. Additionally, the Chinese authorities have added PVH Corp., which owns the brands Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and Van Heusen, along with genetic testing service provider Illumina Inc., to the list of "unreliable" organizations.
These actions are a response to the announced increase in import tariffs on Chinese goods by Washington starting Tuesday.
"The unilateral imposition of tariffs by the United States seriously violates the rules of the World Trade Organization," stated the Chinese Ministry of Finance. "This not only fails to resolve their own issues but also undermines normal economic and trade cooperation between China and the United States."
The State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) of China initiated an investigation on Tuesday regarding American Google (owned by Alphabet Inc.) for potential violations of antitrust laws.
Google's search engine and several other services have been unavailable to users in China since 2010; however, the company maintains some operations in the country, primarily in online advertising.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump informed reporters that negotiations with Beijing are likely to take place within the next 24 hours.
White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt stated on Fox News that a conversation is expected between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"As the president stated (...), he plans to talk with President Xi within the next 24 hours," reported Caroline Levitt.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump previously postponed the planned introduction of 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods that was set for Tuesday.