WASHINGTON — The Trump administration said Tuesday that China made a “big mistake” with retaliatory tariffs on US goods — and will as a result face a 104% tariff rate at midnight.

The quiet approach allows Beijing, which has repeatedly said it is willing to fight till the end unless the U.S. lifts its 145% tariffs, to maintain its public messaging while privately taking ...

China's pushback on tariffs, with U.S. import duties now standing as high as 145% on China-made products, comes after Mr. Trump said Tuesday that the final tariff rate on China's goods would come ...