Donald Trump pauses global tariffs for 90 days as China accuse president of bullying

The Man with the Golden Wig is showing no signs of mercy.

As the two power-nations continue to lock horns, the 78-year-old has just actioned a surprise 90-day pause on his controversial tariffs across the continental board - except for China - and relieved knackered global stock markets in the process.

This slap in the face was exacerbated as Trump increased the tariff on Chinese imports to 125% from the initial 104%, which was insulting enough.

In response, Beijing, which currently demands 84% for US imports, hinted on Thursday that additional counter-measures are in the pipeline as they contend with "blackmail" and "bullying".

Although every other country still faces Trump's "baseline" 10% tariff, home secretary Yvette Cooper suggested on BBC Radio 4's Today show that this welcome pause is similarly "pragmatic" to the UK strategy and approach.

"I think it just actually reinforces the strategy and the approach that we're taking, which is to be pragmatic, to take this steady course rather than to get buffeted around from day to day or getting into the sort of running commentaries and reactions," she said.

"It is also about what we're doing to support British industry and the British economy here in the UK, part of the plan for change the government set out making sure we can get that investment, that we can be really a stable place for business investment to come to, like the announcement we had yesterday and the big investment in Bedfordshire."

On Tuesday evening, Trump told the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner "I know what the hell I'm doing" in light of his ruthless policy.

He claimed that China previously "ripped us off left and right", but it is now America's turn to "do the ripping."

Beijing's Commerce Ministry says China "has a firm will and abundant means; will resolutely counteract and fight to the end."