BBC News<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Australia’s Anthony Albanese are among the world leaders who have come out in criticism of US President Donald Trump, after he announced far-reaching import taxes on products from across the globe.<\/p>\n Meloni called a 20% tariff rate imposed on the European Union “wrong”, while Albanese said a 10% import tax on Australia’s goods was “unjustified.”<\/p>\n The US leader’s announcement includes a universal 10% baseline tariff on all imports into the US from 5 April. Around 60 countries – including the EU and China – will also be hit with steeper tariffs from 9 April.<\/p>\n Trump said the measures would “make America rich again”, adding that he had been “very kind” in his decisions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Meloni, a Trump ally, said the EU tariffs would “not suit either party” – referring to the EU and the US – but that she would work towards a deal with the US to “prevent a trade war”.<\/p>\n Her Spanish counterpart Pedro S\u00e1nchez said Spain would protect its companies and workers and “continue to be committed to an open world”, <\/b>while in Ireland, Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin said Trump’s decision was “deeply regrettable” and benefitted “no-one”.<\/p>\n Outside of the EU, China – one of the countries deemed the “worst offenders” by the US president<\/a> – was hit the hardest <\/b>with a 54% tax rate added to its goods.<\/p>\n The ministry of commerce urged the US to “immediately cancel” the tariffs, adding that China would “resolutely take countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests.”<\/p>\n A commentary piece in China’s state-run news agency Xinhua<\/a> said Washington’s “rampage” amounted to “self-defeating bullying” and an “oversimplistic tit-for-tat game”.<\/p>\n Economic officials in Israel, which had scrapped all tariffs on American imports ahead of the announcement, were said to be in “complete shock” over its 17% tariff, local media reported.<\/p>\n “We were sure that the decision to completely cancel tariffs on imports from the US would prevent this move”, an official told local media.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, South Korean acting President Han Duck-soo said the global trade war “has become a reality” and his government would be looking at ways to “overcome the trade crisis” after the East Asian country was hit with a 25% rate.<\/p>\n Japan said its 24% levy was “extremely regrettable” and could violate World Trade Organization and US-Japan agreements, while Thailand said it would negotiate its 36% tariff.<\/p>\n Other Asian economies, including Vietnam and Cambodia, are among those most impacted by Trump’s new measures.<\/p>\n White House officials said its levies were reciprocal to countries, such as China, which it said charge higher tariffs on US goods, impose “non-tariff” barriers to US trade or have otherwise acted in ways the government feels undermine American economic goals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Leaders from countries subject to the 10% baseline rate have also reacted to Trump’s measures, with Australia’s Albanese saying Americans would end up paying the biggest price for what he called “unjustified tariffs”.<\/p>\n His government will not impose reciprocal measures, he said, adding: “We will not join a race to the bottom that leads to higher prices and slower growth”.<\/p>\n A Downing Street source told the BBC that the UK’s lower tariff “vindicates”<\/a> the government’s recent efforts towards a trade deal with the US.<\/p>\n Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the government remained “fully focused on negotiating an economic deal with the US that strengthens our existing fair and balanced trading relationship”.<\/p>\n In Latin America, its biggest economy, Brazil, approved a law in congress on Wednesday – the Economic Reciprocity Law – to counter the 10% tariff imposed by Trump. <\/p>\n The foreign ministry said it would evaluate “all possible actions to ensure reciprocity in bilateral trade, including resorting to the World Trade Organization”.<\/p>\n Shortly after Trump’s announcement, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned countries not to “retaliate” and “sit back, take it in”.<\/p>\n “Because if you retaliate, there will be escalation”, he told Fox News.<\/p>\n Noticeably, the US’s two biggest trade partners, Canada and Mexico, were not mentioned in Wednesday’s announcements.<\/p>\n The White House said it would deal with both countries according to previous executive orders<\/a>, which imposed 25% tariffs on the two nations as part of efforts to address fentanyl and border issues.<\/p>\n Regardless, Canada will still be impacted by the tariffs, Prime Minister Mark Carney said. Measures such as the 25% tariff on automobiles starting at midnight on Thursday would “directly affect millions of Canadians”, he added.<\/p>\n He vowed to “fight these tariffs with counter measures”, adding that the US levies would “fundamentally change the global trading system.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/bbcx\/grey-placeholder.png\")
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