Mubasher: The new tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump on Chinese imports would hamper the growth of the world’s second biggest economy to the slowest rate since 1990, a survey conducted by Bloomberg showed.

President Trump earlier this month announced 10% tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese goods as from 1 September, but levies on some items were delayed to 15 December to avoid the likely impact on US businesses and consumers.

Once they take effect, the planned tariffs would cut up to 0.5% from the annual increase of gross domestic product (GDP), according to Bloomberg’s survey of 14 economists.

Amid a faltering domestic demand and the heat of the trade conflict with the US, China’s growth is already estimated to lose momentum to 6% next year, and with the new tariffs, it would drop below the government’s current economic target.

Moreover, the new duties were projected to eat into China’s export growth by a range of 0.5% to 1%, 7 of 12 economists told the media outlet.