US imposes 104% tariffs on China, officially taking effect! Impact of "reciprocal tariffs" on China's sanitary ware industry

On April 2, local time, the US government issued an executive order imposing "reciprocal tariffs" on its trading partners. Among them, the US imposed a 34% "reciprocal tariff" on China.

On April 4, Beijing time, China announced a series of countermeasures. The State Council Customs Tariff Commission issued an announcement that, starting from 12:01 on April 10, 2025, a 34% tariff will be imposed on all imported goods originating from the United States, in addition to the current applicable tariff rates. This move directly and effectively responded to the US tariff challenge.

The so-called "reciprocal tariffs" imposed by the new US administration caused violent market fluctuations, leading to a "Black Monday" for global financial markets.

On the evening of April 7, local time, Trump posted on social media that if China did not withdraw the 34% tariff imposed on the US before April 8, the US would impose an additional 50% tariff on Chinese goods starting April 9. Furthermore, tariff negotiations with China would cease, and negotiations with other countries would begin immediately.

The White House announced that starting from 12:01 AM, Eastern Time on April 9 (12:01 PM, Beijing time on April 9), the additional tariffs on imported Chinese goods officially took effect, bringing the overall tariff rate on China to 104%. 。

In response, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that the legitimate right of development of the Chinese people cannot be deprived, and China's sovereignty, security, and development interests cannot be infringed. We will continue to take firm and effective measures to safeguard our legitimate rights and interests.

The US is one of the largest export markets for China's bathroom industry, especially in the areas of sanitary ceramics, faucets, and toilet seat covers.

According to CeramicsWorld's report on global sanitary ceramics trade from 2010 to 2023, in 2023, the United States once again became the world's largest importer of sanitary ceramics, with imports reaching 759,000 tons (down 8.7% from 2022). US imports accounted for 22% of global imports and almost all (82%) of imports in the North American Free Trade Area, maintaining a strong lead over all other importing countries. Considering that US imports exceeded 500,000 tons in 2010, accounting for 23% of global imports, this marks a continuation of a long-standing tradition.

According to data from the China Building Sanitary Ceramics Association, in 2024, the largest export market for China's sanitary ceramics, faucets, and toilet seat covers was the United States with sanitary ceramic exports reaching 28.49 million pieces, valued at $84,120.91 million; faucet exports at 92.9916 million sets, valued at $115,606.24 million; plastic bathtub exports at 41,458.43 tons, valued at $19,631.74 million; shower room exports at 153,001.32 tons, valued at $36,810.19 million; and toilet seat cover exports at 15,517.97 tons, valued at $6,663.8 million.

However, with the US imposing a 34% tariff, the export prospects of China's bathroom industry face enormous challenges and impacts.

The implementation of the US tariff policy not only means a significant increase in the Price of Chinese bathroom products but also may cause Chinese manufacturers to lose some of their US market share. Low-Price, high-volume products, in particular, will see their Price competitiveness significantly reduced, forcing companies to seek alternative markets or adjust their products.