China Under Pressure as U.S. Tariffs Shake Its Economy

Widespread unrest is breaking out across China as the country’s economy suffers under high U.S. tariffs. These tariffs, put in place by President Donald Trump, are aimed at pressuring China into more balanced trade agreements. Because China relies heavily on exporting goods—especially to the U.S.—the impact has been severe.

Factory closures, unpaid wages, and mass layoffs are spreading. From industrial areas near Shanghai to remote parts of Inner Mongolia, thousands of workers are protesting in the streets, demanding their back pay and protesting job losses. At one LED light factory near Shanghai, workers have gone unpaid since January. In another city, a sporting goods store suddenly shut down, leaving employees without compensation.

In Tongliao, a northeastern city, the crisis took a more desperate turn—construction workers climbed onto rooftops and threatened suicide if their wages weren’t paid.

Trump commented on the trade imbalance, saying, “They were taking a trillion dollars a year from us. That’s not happening anymore.”

According to Goldman Sachs, if the tariffs remain, up to 16 million Chinese jobs could be lost. The damage is already happening—one garment factory owner in southern China has laid off 30% of his staff after losing American clients. Another factory manager described the current domestic market as “cutthroat.”

The unrest mirrors protests during China’s strict COVID-19 lockdowns in 2022, when demonstrations were violently suppressed. Experts believe the Chinese government may again use force to maintain control and avoid political instability. As one government adviser told The Wall Street Journal, “Xi today has the same mentality as Mao. His bottom line is that no major crisis will be allowed to endanger his hold on power.”

The U.S. is now in a stronger position, both economically and strategically. Because it is China’s largest trading partner, the American market plays a vital role in China’s manufacturing sector. Losing access to U.S. consumers is a major blow—one that other nations likely can’t offset. And if China attempts to build new partnerships, the U.S. could threaten those countries with similar tariffs, making them hesitate before striking trade deals with Beijing.

This strategy—pressuring both China and its potential allies—gives the U.S. significant leverage. While some countries have received temporary relief from the tariffs during negotiations, China has not.

China has responded by imposing tariffs as high as 125% on American products. But interestingly, they are quietly making exceptions for certain U.S. goods, signaling that they don’t want the trade war to escalate too far.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Port of Los Angeles—which handles about 40% of Asian imports—has already seen a 10% drop in container volume compared to last year. Port Director Eugene Seroka predicted a further 35% decline in the coming weeks, suggesting that trade flow is slowing significantly.

American retailers are warning of potential product shortages, but China appears to be feeling the economic pain more sharply. With protests rising, jobs disappearing, and global partnerships uncertain, China may soon have no choice but to return to trade negotiations. For now, the U.S. holds the upper hand, and China is running out of options.

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