China on Friday announced a list of products from the United States that will be subject to additional tariffs. It is a response to additional duties that were placed on Chinese imports by the Trump administration.

China’s Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council decided to impose additional duties of 25 percent on 659 items from the United States, worth about $50 billion, the nation’s official news outlet says.

Additional tariffs for 545 items worth about $34 billion, including agricultural products, vehicles and aquatic products, will be effective from July 6, 2018, a statement of the commission added. The implementation date for imposing additional tariffs on the remaining 114 items, covering chemical products, medical equipment and energy products, will be announced later.

The decision has been made in line with relevant stipulations of the Foreign Trade Law of China and the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Import and Export Duties.

Last week, the United States announced additional tariffs of 25 percent on Chinese imports worth approximately $50 billion. From July 6, additional tariffs will be levied on some $34 billion worth of Chinese products. Another $16 billion worth of Chinese products will undergo further review in a public notice and comment process.

"The U.S. move violates the relevant rules of the World Trade Organization, goes against the consensus already reached in bilateral economic and trade consultations, seriously infringes upon the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese side and undermines the interests of China and its people," a statement by the Customs Tariff Commission says. "The Chinese side firmly opposes that."

China’s Office of the Customs Tariff Commission added that the additional tariffs targeting Chinese goods, once imposed, would "substantially change" the trade conditions of these goods, and affect relevant producers and trade companies as well as the production and operation of the upstream and downstream industries. The action, it said, was necessitated by the U.S. violations of international obligations.

The statement noticed that the U.S. statement said it would continue to impose additional tariffs if China takes retaliatory measures, despite what it said was the nation’s “rights to take corresponding measures.”

Included on the list or products, no doubt crafted with political impact in mind as much as economics: soybeans, whiskey, electric cars, orange juice, salmon, and cigars. U.S. coal and oil imports are also targeted. Many of the products are grown or produced in states that voted for Trump and remain key areas of support for him.

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