(Yicai) April 16 -- The “245% tariff" figure being reported in the news is not a new tariff imposed by the United States on imported Chinese goods, but refers rather to the maximum rate already applied to certain products, according to experts.

The White House released a fact sheet on April 15, saying that “China now faces up to a 245 percent tariff on imports to the United States.” This has been reported as a new tariff increase by some media outlets, but it actually indicates a ceiling rather than an additional increase, a senior trade lawyer told Yicai. 

If the US intended to raise import tariffs, it would require a formal executive order to be issued and published in the Federal Register, with specific details including effective date and scope. This fact sheet is merely explanatory, the expert noted.

Despite the mention of the 245 percent tariff in the fact sheet, Yicai found no updated measures on the US commerce or treasury department websites beyond the previously announced 125 percent “reciprocal tariffs” on certain Chinese imports, effective from April 10, and subsequent partial exemptions announced on April 12.

The 245 percent rate applies only to specific categories of Chinese goods, not to all imports, Luo Jie, a veteran in China-US logistics, told Yicai. If the US were to universally raise tariffs to 245 percent, it would specify effective dates and formalize the policy. As of noon in China today, no major US media outlet has reported such a drastic measure, he added. 

Previous media analysis of US tariffs noted that certain Chinese exports, such as syringes, face a border tax as high as 245 percent under existing US trade policies.

Editor: Tom Litting