The United States threatens to impose 100% tariffs on Canadian imports if they strike trade deal with China
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed Sunday that the United States would impose 100% tariffs on Canadian imports if Ottawa went ahead with a new trade deal with China, repeating a threat made by President Donald Trump on Saturday.
“We can’t allow Canada to become an outlet through which China floods the US market with its cheap goods,” Bessent told ABC News.
During a visit to Beijing on January 16, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced an improvement in bilateral relations with China, citing a new strategic partnership and a preliminary trade agreement between the two countries.
Under the agreement, China is expected to reduce tariffs on canola imports from Canada to about 15% by March 1, from 84%.
China will also allow Canadian visitors to enter its territory without a visa.
In return, Canada will import 49,000 Chinese EVs with a new preferential tariff of 6.1%.
The deal comes in the midst of a trade war with Canada, after the Trump administration-imposed tariffs on imports from its northern neighbor.
When asked by “This Week” host Jonathan Carl Besant if Washington would go ahead with Trump’s threat to impose 100% tariffs on Canadian imports, he said, “There’s a possibility of a 100% tariff if they make a free trade deal”.
He added that the new tariffs would be imposed “if they go further, and if we see that Canadians are allowing China to flood the market with goods”.
