China imports from US fall 19% in July amid trade war

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese trade with the United States contracted again in July as a tariff war with Washington intensified.

Customs data on Thursday showed imports of U.S. goods fell 19% from a year earlier, though that was an improvement over June’s 31.4% plunge. Exports to the United States fell 6.5%.

Beijing has retaliated for U.S. tariff hikes in a dispute over trade and technology by imposing its own punitive duties and suspending purchases of American soybeans and other goods.

The latest data follow President Donald Trump’s threat last week to extend punitive duties to an additional $300 billion of Chinese imports.