Advertisement

As Trump’s tariff ‘surprise’ slams China’s exporters, is de-escalation even an option?

Signs may be pointing to ‘a much more combative dynamic in US-China tensions moving forward’ – one in which a trade or tariff war hurts both sides

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
64

02:54

Trump threatens new anti-drug tariffs on ‘day 1’ for China, Canada, Mexico

Trump threatens new anti-drug tariffs on ‘day 1’ for China, Canada, Mexico
Sylvia Main Hong KongandHe Huifengin Guangdong

As the first wave of US tariffs proposed by US president-elect Donald Trump gathers momentum, China is holding firm – trying to talk up domestic sentiments while rallying the confidence of foreign investors.

Advertisement

But domestic exporters, who are already feeling the backlash of rising uncertainties on the ground, are keen to know if there will be any tariff exemptions and whether resales through a third country will remain a viable workaround.

The world’s second-largest economy has been hit with fresh comments by Trump, saying on Monday that he “will be charging China an additional 10 per cent tariff, above any additional tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America”.

In response, Liu Pengyu, spokesman of the Chinese embassy in the US, took to social media, saying: “China-US economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial in nature. No one will win a trade war or a tariff war.”

Meanwhile, on the opening day of the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing, Vice-President Han Zheng warned that fragmentation in the world economy had intensified.
Advertisement
Advertisement