Russian military confirms shooting down Ukrainian F-16 jet

FILE PHOTO: F-16 fighter jets operated by Ukraine.
©Getty Images/Ukrainian Presidency

Russian forces have shot down a US-designed F-16 fighter jet operated by Ukraine, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said.

It is the first time that the Russian military has announced the destruction of an F-16 since Kiev’s Western backers began deliveries of the fourth-generation aircraft to Ukraine last summer.

“An F-16 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force was shot down by air defense means,” the ministry said in its daily briefing on Sunday without revealing any further details.

On Saturday, the Ukrainian Air Force reported the loss of one of its F-16 fighters. An interdepartmental commission was then established to find out what caused the plane to go down, it added.

Vladimir Zelensky later confirmed that Ukrainian pilot Pavel Ivanov had been killed “during an F-16 combat mission.” He promised a “strong and precise” response, implying Russia was behind the destruction of the jet.

A government source told BBC Ukraine on Saturday that the F-16 had been shot down by the Russian military. “In total, the Russians fired three missiles at the plane. It was either a guided anti-aircraft missile from a S-400 ground-based system or an R-37 air-to-air missile,” the outlet claimed.

The source also ruled out friendly fire as a reason for the loss of the jet, claiming that Ukrainian air defenses have not been active in that area.

It marks the second confirmed loss of an F-16 by Ukraine. The first was destroyed and its pilot killed under unclear circumstances last August. The results of an investigation into the incident were never announced to the public. However, multiple media reports indicated that the plane was likely shot down by the country’s own anti-aircraft defenses by mistake.

Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway pledged to supply Kiev with up to 80 F-16s after receiving permission to do so from the previous administration of US President Joe Biden, though most of them will take years to arrive. In 2024, Ukraine received about 18 aircraft.

The Kiev authorities once claimed that the US-designed jets would become a game-changer in the conflict with Russia. But since the loss of the first aircraft, their use in combat has been limited, with the F-16 being mainly deployed away from the contact line for air defense purposes.

No winner in a tariff war - Xi Jinping

President Xi Jinping meets with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Friday. Liu bin/Xinhua

There are no winners in a tariff war and China is not afraid of unreasonable suppression, President Xi Jinping said on Friday, calling on the European Union to work with China to jointly resist unilateral bullying.

Xi made the remarks during a meeting in Beijing with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, the first time the Chinese leader has spoken in public on the tariff war launched by the United States on April 2.

There is no winner in a tariff war and going against the world ultimately results in self-isolation, Xi said.

He emphasized that China's development over the past 70 years and more has been through self-reliance and hard work, never on others' mercies, and it certainly does not fear unreasonable suppression.

Whatever changes may take place in the external environment, China will remain confident, resolute and focused on running its own affairs effectively, Xi said.

The president noted that both China and the EU are major world economies and staunch supporters of economic globalization and free trade, with their combined economic output accounting for over one-third of the global total, forming a deep economic interdependence.

China and the EU should fulfill their international responsibilities, jointly uphold the trend of economic globalization and the international trading environment, and resist unilateral bullying in order to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests, while upholding international fairness and justice and maintaining international rules and order, Xi said.

Xi's remarks came as the US tariff war with China escalates. The White House clarified on Thursday the 125 percent tariffs on Chinese imports announced on Wednesday were on top of a previous 20 percent, adding up to a whopping levy of 145 percent against China.

In response to a question about the US tariff hike, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Friday that China's countermeasures are not only aimed at safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests, but also at upholding international rules and order. "In the face of US bullying and arrogance, there is no way forward through compromise and concession," Lin said at a regular news conference.

Sanchez was the first European leader to visit China following the US announcement of sweeping tariffs. The two-day official visit, starting on Thursday, marks his third trip to China within three years.

He told Xi that China is an important partner for the EU, and Spain consistently supports the stable development of EU-China relations.

The EU remains committed to open and free trade, is dedicated to upholding multilateralism and opposes unilateral tariff increases, Sanchez said, adding there are no winners in a trade war.

Faced with a complex and challenging international situation, Spain and the EU are willing to strengthen communication and cooperation with China, uphold the international trade order, and jointly cope with the challenges of climate change and poverty to safeguard the common interests of the international community, he said.

On Friday, Premier Li Qiang held talks with Sanchez. They witnessed the signing of an array of cooperation agreements in the economy, trade, and science and technology.

Both sides issued an action plan (2025-28) on strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership. They agreed to enhance cooperation on the economy, trade, investment and technological innovation, and jointly support free trade and open cooperation and uphold multilateralism.

China and the EU have been closely coordinating on trade issues over the past few days.

Premier Li held a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday, with both sides pledging to promote bilateral ties and uphold the multilateral trading system.

Commerce Minister Wang Wentao held a video meeting with European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic on Tuesday, during which the two sides agreed to promptly initiate consultations to thoroughly discuss market access-related issues.

Observers said that the US tariff war may provide an opportunity to bring Brussels and Beijing closer together and has given China the opportunity to position itself as a potentially more reliable partner for the EU.

Cui Hongjian, professor of the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said that it is imperative for China and the EU to jointly confront this challenge, as US unilateral policies would severely damage globalization and the multilateral trading system that underpins China-EU cooperation.

‘Not good for China’ to retaliate over tariffs – White House

The White House has warned China that further retaliation through tariff hikes would not serve Beijing’s interests, as the world’s two largest economies clash over trade.

Press secretary Caroline Leavitt has stated that over 75 countries reached out to US President Donald Trump’s administration to initiate trade talks, a sign that Washington’s tariff policy is working, she argued.

“The phones have been ringing off the hook to make deals,” she said on Friday during a press briefing at the White House. “These countries wisely heeded President Trump’s warning not to retaliate… and were rewarded with a 90-day pause and substantially lower reciprocal tariff rates,” she added.

In early April, Trump imposed a universal 10% tariff on all imports and higher “reciprocal” tariffs on select countries to promote domestic manufacturing and address trade imbalances. While most elevated tariffs were paused for 90 days, China was excluded from this reprieve. The total tariff on Chinese goods has been hiked to 145%. In response, China imposed a 125% tariff on US imports, while criticizing Washington’s actions as “economic bullying” and warning that continued escalations would render the US a “joke” in global economic history.

When asked directly about China, Leavitt reiterated Trump’s stance. “The tariff rate on China remains where it was yesterday at the 145 percent level,” she confirmed.

Beijing has signaled that its recent tariff hike might be the last, and that further increases would not make economic sense.

When asked if this meant China was backing down, Leavitt said the US president had made it very clear that “when the United States is punched, he will punch back harder.”

Leavitt said the administration remains open to negotiations, claiming Trump would “be gracious if China intends to make a deal with the United States,” but added without elaborating, “If China continues to retaliate, it’s not good for China.”

She also rebuffed critics who said the US administration had not pushed China hard enough with tariffs, saying “Trump is finally taking bold and courageous action.” She added that both Democrats and Republicans have talked tough on China for years, but “no other president had the courage, the work ethic, or the stamina to take on such a task.”

Xi Jinping warns against trade war fallout risks U.S will isolate itself

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a warning to the world during his meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing today, framing trade wars as a self-defeating exercise that isolates aggressors rather than empowering them.

Xi Jinping remarks, delivered in his trademark measured yet firm diplomatic tone, highlighted China’s growing frustration with Washington’s combative trade policies—a stance that has increasingly positioned the U.S. as a rogue actor in the global economic order.

"There are no winners in the tariff war and standing against the world ultimately results in self-isolation,” Xi said, as cited by Xinhua news agency.

Sanchez’s visit, his third to China in as many years, highlighted the deepening ties between Beijing and Madrid, a relationship China views as a cornerstone of its European strategy. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian emphasised Spain’s role as a “significant partner” within the EU, a bloc that Beijing has cautiously courted amid escalating tensions with Washington. As the U.S. escalates its economic confrontations, China is doubling down on diplomacy, presenting itself as the steady hand in an era of volatility.

Xi’s assertion that “there are no winners in a trade war” was not merely rhetoric—it was a direct rebuttal to the protectionist policies championed by U.S. President Donald Trump, whose “reciprocal tariffs” have rattled global markets. The Chinese leader’s warning that “by opposing the world, one only isolates oneself,” carries particular weight as the US continues to weaponise trade, imposing punitive levies that critics argue defy both economic logic and international law.

The symbolism of this meeting at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse was unmistakable. Xi positioned China and Spain as stabilising forces in a world veering toward fragmentation, stressing their shared commitment to “mutual respect, trust, and benefit.” His praise for the 20th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic partnership was a not-so-subtle contrast to Washington’s transactional, zero-sum approach to diplomacy—one that has eroded America’s credibility and moral authority.

The discussion inevitably turned to Trump’s turbulent tariff regime, described by economists as a crude form of economic coercion masquerading as strategy. His administration’s fixation on trade deficits—widely misunderstood as a metric of national weakness rather than macroeconomic imbalances—led to a cascade of retaliatory measures, with China bearing the brunt of punitive duties exceeding 100%. Yet, as Xi noted, the results have been counterproductive: U.S. trade deficits ballooned, inflation surged, supply chains convulsed, and allies grew wary of American unreliability.

Trump’s approach, likened by analysts to a neo-mercantilist tribute system, demanded unilateral concessions from trading partners while offering little in return. Smaller nations, fearing exclusion from U.S. markets, reluctantly acquiesced—Vietnam eliminated tariffs on U.S. imports overnight, while Cambodia slashed duties preemptively. But China, with its vast domestic market and technological resilience, refused to capitulate, instead framing its defiance as a principled stand for multilateralism.

China’s strategy has been twofold: resist immediate economic pressure while cultivating a narrative of responsibility. By retaliating proportionally—reducing Hollywood film quotas, for instance—Beijing reinforced its image as a defender of fairness. This contrasts sharply with Trump’s erratic policymaking, which critics argue lacks coherence beyond a penchant for maximalist threats.

Xi’s emphasis on “asymmetric countermeasures” signals China’s long-game approach: diversify trade partnerships, accelerate domestic reforms, and diminish reliance on U.S.-dominated supply chains. Europe, a key battleground, has watched cautiously; while Brussels shares Washington’s concerns about Chinese subsidies, it balks at Trump’s indiscriminate protectionism. Spain, wary of being caught in the crossfire, appears receptive to Beijing’s overtures.

China recognises that outright decoupling remains unlikely—Washington lacks the leverage to sever ties with the world’s second-largest economy, and U.S. businesses still crave access to Chinese markets. Instead, Xi’s calibrated defiance aims to expose the fragility of American strategy: tariffs hurt U.S. consumers, alienate allies, and accelerate the decline of dollar hegemony.

As global markets brace for further turmoil, Xi’s message to Sanchez—and the world—was unequivocal: unilateralism is unsustainable. The U.S. may wield tariffs as a cudgel, but in doing so, it risks transforming itself into an isolated island, adrift in a sea of resentment. History, he implied, will judge this moment not by who shouted loudest, but by who forged enduring alliances. China, it seems, is betting on the latter.

Timnas Indonesia 2 Vs Afghanistan 0 - King Garuda Muda Tak Terkalahkan

Turun dengan para pemain cadangan Timnas Indonesia U-17 menutup laga Grup C Piala Asia U-17 2025 dengan hasil gemilang usai menaklukkan Afghanistan dengan skor 2-0 di Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, hari Jumat, 11/04/2025, dini hari WIB. Tiga poin ini membuat Garuda Muda menjaga rekor tak terkalahkan dalam tiga laga terakhir.

Pertandingan pemungkas Grup C Piala Asia U-17 2025 berjalan cukup sengit. Meskipun sudah memastikan diri lolos ke babak perempat final sebelum laga ini, Timnas Indonesia U-17 tampil dengan semangat juang tinggi.

Pelatih Nova Arianto memberikan kesempatan bermain kepada beberapa pemain yang sebelumnya belum mendapatkan banyak menit bermain, namun king Garuda Muda tetap menunjukkan organisasi permainan yang solid.

Afghanistan U-17, yang sudah dipastikan tersingkir dari turnamen, juga tampil tanpa beban dan memberikan perlawanan yang cukup menyulitkan bagi lini serang Indonesia. Beberapa kali mereka mampu menciptakan peluang, namun penyelesaian akhir yang kurang tenang membuat skor tetap imbang.

Secara statistik, Afghanistan U-17 tampil lebih dominan. Namun, Timnas Indonesia U-17 beberapa kali mampu memberikan serangan balik yang berbahaya.

Di babak pertama, kedua tim saling jual beli serangan. Indonesia U-17 mencoba membangun inisiatif serangan melalui kecepatan para pemain sayap, namun rapatnya pertahanan Afghanistan mampu meredam upaya tersebut.

Sementara itu, Afghanistan mengandalkan serangan balik cepat yang beberapa kali mengancam gawang Indonesia. Memasuki babak kedua, tempo permainan sedikit meningkat.

Timnas Indonesia U-17 melakukan beberapa pergantian pemain untuk menambah daya gedor. Beberapa peluang emas sempat tercipta, namun belum mampu berbuah gol.

Afghanistan juga tidak menyerah dan terus memberikan tekanan. Lini belakang Indonesia U-17 yang dikomandoi oleh Putu Panji tampil cukup disiplin dalam mengamankan area pertahanan dari ancaman serangan lawan.

Di pengujung laga, penggemar Timnas Indonesia U-17 bersorak setelah Fadli Alberto (90+4') dan Zahaby Gholy (90+6') mencetak gol dramatis. Kemenangan ini membuat Garuda Muda mengunci posisi sebagai juara Grup C dengan nilai sempurna sembilan poin. Sementara Korea Selatan mengamankan status runner up.

Berikut Susunan Pemain Timnas Indonesia U17:

Timnas Indonesia U-17 XI: Dafa Al Gasemi (Dafa); Ida Bagus Pramana (I.B. Cahya), I Putu Apriawan (Panji) (C), Putu Ekayana (Ekayana); Dafa Zaidan El Fikri (Dafa Zaidan); Nazriel Alfaro Syahdan (Nazriel), Ilham Romadhona (Ilham), Daniel Alfrido (Daniel); Fandi Ahmad Muzaki (Fandi), Rafi Rasyiq (Rafi Rasyiq), Josh Holong Junior (Josh Holong).

Cadangan: Rendy Razzaqu Mochtar (Rendy), Mathew Ryan Baker (Baker), Evandra Florasta (Evandra), Muhamad Zahaby Gholy (Gholy), Mochamad Mierza Fijatullah (Mierza), Fadly Alberto Hengga (Alberto), Muhammad Aldyansyah Taher (Aldyansyah), Fabio Azkairawan (Fabio), Muhamad Al Gazani (Al Gazani), Fardan Farras (Fardan), Faaris Nurhidayat (Faaris Silva), Muhammad Rhaka (Rhaka).

Pelatih: Nova Arianto.

Semalam Kota Bogor Diguncang Gempa 4 Kali Gempa Susulan Jumat Pagi

Sejumlah warga Kecamatan Bogor Selatan, Kota Bogor keluar rumah saat merasakan gempa Kamis (10/4/2025) malam. (Foto: Kiriman warga)

Setelah semalam diguncang gempa utama berkekuatan magnitudo 4,1 pada hari Kamis malam, 10 April 2025, pukul 22.15 WIB, wilayah Bogor dan sekitarnya kembali mengalami sejumlah gempa susulan.

Berdasarkan catatan Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika (BMKG), hingga hari Jumat, 11/04/2025, pukul 06.00 WIB, telah terjadi empat kali gempa susulan.

Catatan BMKG

• Pukul 23.12 WIB (Magnitudo 1,9)


• Pukul 23.14 WIB (Magnitudo 1,7)


• Pukul 01.04 WIB (Magnitudo 1,6)


• Pukul 01.38 WIB (Magnitudo 1,7)

Gempa bumi pertama kali terjadi pada hari kamis malam, 10/04/2025, sekitar jam 22.15 WIB, gempa bumi yang berkekuatan magnitudo 4,1 mengguncang Kota Bogor, Jawa Barat, dan sekitarnya.

Menurut peringatan Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika (BMKG) Kota Bandung, pusat gempa berada sekitar 2 kilometer tenggara Kota Bogor dengan kedalaman 5 kilometer.

Pusat gempa berada di koordinat 6.62 LS dan 106.80 BT, atau tepatnya 2 kilometer tenggara Kota Bogor, dengan kedalaman dangkal 5 kilometer.

"Info Gempa Mag:4.1, 10-Apr-25 22:16:13 WIB, Lok:6.62 LS - 106.80 BT (2 km Tenggara KOTA-BOGOR-JABAR), Kedlmn: 5 Km ::BMKG," bunyi peringatan BMKG Bandung.

Guncangan cukup terasa di beberapa titik padat pemukiman, di semua kawasan kota Bogor. Sejumlah warga berhamburan keluar rumah karena terkejut dan panik.

“Tadi getarannya gede banget, rumah bergoyang, serasa sekali jadi kami langsung keluar rumah,” kata Deni, warga Tajur.

Pantauan di lokasi, sepanjang jalan Tajur, Lawang Gintung, Jalan pahlawan, Jembatan Merah, Kebon jahe, Panaragan, Gunung Batu warga terlihat berkumpul di pinggir jalan dan area terbuka.

Hingga berita ini ditulis, belum ada laporan kerusakan atau korban jiwa akibat gempa tersebut. BMKG mengimbau masyarakat tetap tenang dan tidak terpengaruh informasi yang tidak dapat dipertanggungjawabkan.

Sesar Citarik

Direktur Gempabumi dan Tsunami BMKG, Daryono, menjelaskan bahwa gempa yang terjadi merupakan jenis gempa kerak dangkal (shallow crustal earthquake) yang dipicu oleh aktivitas Sesar Citarik, sesar aktif yang melintas di wilayah Bogor.

"Pembangkit gempa Bogor diduga kuat adalah Sesar Citarik dengan mekanisme geser mengiri (sinistral strike-slip) sesuai dengan hasil analisis menanisme sumber gempa oleh BMKG," ujar Daryono lewat keterangan tertulis, Jumat.

‘European aggression’ behind all global tragedies – Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. ©Getty Images/Mert Gokhan Koc/dia images

Western European countries have once again “taken up arms” against Russia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said, commenting on the increasingly hostile stance of many governments toward Moscow.

Addressing the constant calls to prepare for a presumed Russian attack – a notion which Moscow has dismissed as baseless – Lavrov said all previous global conflicts were sparked by similar aggressive actions from Europe.

“We are witnessing another wave in which Europe is taking up arms against Russia, and by the looks on some faces, even growling at Russia. After all... all global tragedies began with aggressive actions by Europeans: The Napoleonic Wars, World War I, and World War II,” he said in an interview for the TASS Children project released on Wednesday.

Lavrov added that during World War II, nearly all “neutral” European countries, in addition to those officially aligned with Nazi Germany, fought alongside Germany – including France.

“They did have a resistance movement, but like most other European countries, the official authorities in Paris meekly surrendered to the will of the victors... and French troops fought battles on the side of Hitler’s Germany, taking part in a number of punitive operations,” he said, adding that “there were many examples of this.”

Lavrov went on to say that France and the UK are “obsessed” with “defeating Russia on the battlefield,” as evidenced by the billions they have spent on Kiev’s war effort and recent discussions about deploying troops to Ukraine, supposedly in a peacekeeping role.

He accused the West, including Washington, of installing what he called an “openly Russophobic Nazi regime” in Ukraine as part of its goal of defeating Russia.

“Some want to quickly and finally erase from history the pages of their national shame, collaborationism, connivance with the Nazis,” he said. “While others see in Nazi ideology some new instrument for maintaining their positions on the European political scene.”

Lavrov added that Russia has long tried to warn the West against rewriting history.

“Consigning history to oblivion, one’s spiritual and moral values, one’s roots, if you will, all this has become one of the main reasons for what we are now seeing in Ukraine,” he said, in reference to the authorities in Kiev who honor World War II Nazi collaborators as national heroes and “undermine and denigrate” the role of the Soviet Union in defeating Nazi Germany.

“We will fight against this,” Lavrov said, expressing hope that“not everyone has forgotten the lessons of history.”

“Many leaders... are beginning to understand the dead end and catastrophic consequences,” he said, referring to attempts to defeat Russia.

Asian markets fall as Trump’s tariffs, including 104% on China, take effect

(AFP/Getty Images)

By Lily Kuo

China, the world’s biggest exporter, was hardest hit by Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff blitz, but duties on 85 other countries — including 49 percent on Cambodia and 46 percent on Vietnam — have also now kicked in.

Stocks in Asia traded lower when they opened Wednesday after another day of wild gyrations in U.S. markets with the S&P 500 index closing down 1.5 percent, bringing its total loss since mid-February to almost 20 percent — nearing a bear market.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index, on which many Chinese exporters are listed, fell by almost 4 percent when trading opened Wednesday although it rebounded somewhat in later trading.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 was trading more than 4 percent lower in the early afternoon, while Australia’s ASX 200 index lost almost 2 percent and South Korea’s KOSPI was down 1.4 percent.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday confirmed that the tariffs on China would rise to 104 percent. “It was a mistake for China to retaliate. When America is punched, [the president] punches back harder,” Leavitt said at a briefing Tuesday.

But she also suggested Trump was open to talking — as long as Beijing made the first move. “The president also wanted me to tell all of you that if China reaches out to make a deal, he’ll be incredibly gracious, but he’s going to do what’s best for the American people,” Leavitt said. “China has to call first.”

It was not clear on Wednesday how Beijing would respond. State media on Wednesday was awash with commentary saying China could not back down.

“The weaker you are, the happier the United States is and the harder it will hit you,” said an article on Niu Tanqin, an influential blog run by a former journalist with the state news agency, Xinhua.

The longer that the trade fight goes on, the more Beijing sees U.S. moves as simply an effort to contain China. “Beijing is losing patience with the Trump team, believing that they have no sincerity in negotiating,” said Zhao Minghao, a professor at Fudan University’s Center for American Studies.

Other countries are trying hard to broker deals with the Trump administration to avert tariffs, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent telling CNBC that nearly 70 countries had approached the United States about negotiating over trade barriers.

Argentina, Vietnam and Israel have indicated they will drop their tariff and regulatory barriers to U.S. exports, while South Korea and Japan are now actively pursuing negotiations.

Trump said on social media Tuesday he had a “great call” with South Korea’s acting president about a potential deal to remove the 25 percent tariff Trump threatened to impose on the ally’s exports.

The steep tariffs on Chinese goods will almost certainly raise prices for American consumers on products including clothes, shoes and electronics — something Chinese state media have been at pains to point out.

“Manufacturers here cannot absorb the burden,” Liang Mei, president of the China Toy and Juvenile Products Association, was quoted as telling the state-affiliated Global Times newspaper Wednesday. U.S. retailers would shoulder part of the cost and the rest “will be passed on to American consumers,” Liang said.

Naomi Fink, chief global strategist at Nikko Asset Management in Tokyo, said the new tariffs will “first and foremost be a blow to U.S. consumers,” which will ultimately affect exporters to the U.S. But the ultimate impact on domestic U.S. interests is significant, and countries on the receiving end of tariffs recognize that, she said.

“The thing here, and I think China even stated it, is that the only reason they’re retaliating is because they know it’s a credible threat to the U.S. consumer, who’s also the U.S. voter, and they know the U.S. consumer is wearing the cost,” Fink said.

Trump on Tuesday tripled the tariff rate he had announced on low-value packages from China, closing a loophole that allowed Chinese companies like Shein and Temu to sidestep duties on shipments worth less than $800. From June 1, those packages will face a tax of 90 percent of their value, up from the originally planned 30 percent duty.

While other countries have approached the White House to negotiate, Beijing has instead hit back with its own tariffs and deployed other measures like export controls and import bans. Escalation on both sides makes the possibility of talks less likely, analysts said.

“Beyond a certain point, further escalation loses meaning,” said Lizzi C. Lee, an economy expert at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis. “China would likely decide there’s no point in continuing to engage — and at that stage, retaliation could take forms the U.S. isn’t ready for.”

Retaliation could involve suspending cooperation to stop fentanyl and related chemicals from reaching the United States; cutting off imports of U.S. products that depend on the Chinese market like farm products, services or energy; or rapidly opening trade channels with other countries hit hard by the tariffs, Lee said.

Well-connected Chinese blogs have also suggested Beijing might ban on the importation of U.S. movies to China.

Here’s how the tariff on Chinese goods got to 104 percent:

• With a Feb. 1 executive order, Trump imposed a 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods, saying it was punishment for Beijing’s lack of progress in stopping the flow of fentanyl and precursor chemicals to the United States.



• Beijing responded with a 15 percent levy on imports of U.S. coal and liquefied natural gas, as well as a 10 percent tariff on agricultural equipment and crude oil.



• At the end of February, Trump announced an additional 10 percent tax on Chinese goods, again citing the opioid epidemic. Beijing, which insists that this a U.S. public health issue, imposed a 15 percent duty on imports of American farm products including chicken, pork and soy — a move designed to inflict pain in Trump-supporting agricultural states.



• In his “Liberation Day” tariff blitz, Trump imposed a further 34 percent tariff on all Chinese goods, to come into effect April 9, taking the blanket tariff to 54 percent.



• China responded two days later by levying a 34 percent blanket tariff on all products from the United States and condemned the Trump administration’s “unilateral bullying.” It also further restricted exports of rare earth minerals, blacklisted a slew of American companies, and filed a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization.



• Trump said Monday that if Beijing did not promptly withdraw the blanket measure, he would increase the duty on all Chinese goods by a further 50 points, taking the minimum tariff to 104 percent.