Bbc via yahoo newstrump says he would rather not impose tariffs on china2 hours ago

Watch: What is a tariff? President Trump has introduced tariffs on goods from China, which has hit back by announcing similar charges on some US products. Trump has also threatened to introduce tariffs - a tax on imports - on goods from Canada and Mexico, but paused these for 30 days after both countries agreed to boost border security.

The US president has said tariffs are needed to help the American economy and to "protect" the country from the "major threat of illegal aliens and deadly drugs". Tariffs are taxes charged on goods imported from other countries. Charging a percentage of a product's value is the most common type of tariff. Another type imposes a fixed figure on imports, whatever their value.

Companies that import goods from abroad pay the tariffs to the US government.

President Trump has doubled down on his threat to impose big tariffs on countries that sell products in the US. "I think we've got an argument to engage with," Reynolds said.

The opening salvos have been fired in Trump's trade war - what comes next? Trump's trade war with neighbours is delayed - what did they all get out of it? China counters Trump's tariffs with measured opening move. Trump is fulfilling a campaign promise of introducing import duties against some of America's closest trading partners. The tariffs will boost US manufacturing, protect jobs, raise tax revenue and grow the economy, he argues.

Trump says he is also using tariffs to "combat the scourge of fentanyl", a powerful drug that causes tens of thousands of overdose deaths in the US each year.

Tariffs are taxes charged on goods imported from other countries.

His administration says chemicals used to make the drug come from China, while Mexican gangs supply it illegally and have fentanyl labs in Canada. At the same time Trump is placing economic pressure on these trading partners, he has stated a desire for Canada to join America as the 51st state, an idea Trudeau has firmly rejected. Much of the border security plan had already been announced in December.