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Trump strikes back at China with a 100% tariff and critical software ban — major escalation retaliates for China's rare earth restrictions

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Tom's Hardware

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President Trump has retaliated against China's rare earth restrictions by imposing a 100% tariff on Chinese goods starting November 1. Additionally, the U.S. will implement export controls on 'critical software,' which could have significant impacts. The rare earth export controls by China have raised concerns in various industries like automotive and chip manufacturing due to China's dominance in the global rare earth supply. The U.S. government's definition of 'critical software' remains unclear, but it could potentially include AI development frameworks and manufacturing software, affecting both Chinese and Western companies.

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