Chinese goods were already subject to a 20% levy at the U.S. border. Trump imposed an additional 34% tariff on Beijing on Wednesday − taking the total to 54% − as part of his program of "reciprocal tariffs" targeted at nations he says have been unfair to the U.

China’s intentions when it comes to Taiwan have been at the centre of intense discussion for years. Both mainland China and Taiwan claim to represent the “real” China after the Kuomintang nationalist party under Chiang Kai Shek retreated across the Taiwan Strait and established the Republic of China there in 1949.