Hello and welcome to NewsHour from the BBC World Service coming to live from London with me, Sean Lay.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, US President Donald Trump's tariffs will hit many countries for the first time,

as their exporters face the prospect of US buyers refusing to pay at the higher prices,

and in some cases, as we'll be hearing,

demands from American retailers that they absorb the extra cost themselves. China, which has

faced tariffs on its exports to the US, both during the first Trump administration and during

the Biden one, has vowed to fight to the end. China's Premier Li Chiang said it was typical unilateral protectionist

economic bullying. The response from the United States was to warn that China will now face

export, import tariffs of 104% on its products. Within the last couple of hours, White House

Press Secretary Caroline Levitt had this to say. I just spoke to the President about this, and he believes that China wants to make a deal with

the United States. He believes China has to make a deal with the United States. It was a mistake

for China to retaliate. The President, when America is punched, he punches back harder.

That's why there will be 104% tariffs going into effect

on China tonight at midnight. But the president believes that she and China want to make a deal.

They just don't know how to get that started. And the president also wanted me to tell all of you

that if China reaches out to make a deal, he'll be incredibly gracious, but he's going to do what's

best for the American people. Well, more nuanced arguments in favor of terrorists were deployed by the President's

U.S. trade representative Jameson Greer.

Appearing before a committee of senators, he said the threat was bringing many countries

to the negotiating table.

We are having negotiations with all kinds of countries at this time.

The President's fixed in his

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