Overall public sentiment is predominantly negative toward the US's trade policies and its approach to China. There is a consensus that the US is largely responsible for escalating trade tensions, with many commenters criticizing the impact of tariffs on consumers and expressing skepticism about the effectiveness of current policies. A significant portion of commentary supports China's responses and highlights a perceived shift in global power dynamics, calling for more diplomatic and fair trading practices.

United States

China

Canada

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I summarise/paraphrase/learn about articles from The Economist for fun BUT full credit to the authors as it comprises mostly of their words. Enjoy.

**Chinese trade is thriving despite America's attacks**

When Donald Trump returned to office for his second term, he announced in April - "we've been ripped off by every country in the world", and in particular, he targeted China, apparent by this quote "but China is the chief-ripper-offer".

Trump complemented his words with measures - he placed tariffs on China. The article suggests Trump's "agenda is scattershot; trying to isolate China looks like a coherent plan.

"**So what has happened as a result of these tariffs?**  
Well U.S. imports from China have plunged by a quarter, and America's share of China's total exports has fallen from 15% to 10%.

**And apart of Trump's bigger picture - "to hurt China's trade machine" - hasn't worked out quite they way he expected.**

1. China's total shipments have nevertheless risen by 6% year on year.
2. A year ago, the EU and America imported a similar amounts from China, but now, the EU imports 60% more.
3. Sales to Africa have risen by a third, exports to ASEA nations have risen by a fifth and shipments to Europe have risen by a tenth. 
4. China's Belt and Road Initiative, aka the New Silk Road - a global infrastructure expansion plan to promote development and connectivity - has quickened in pace since Trump returned to the White House.  
5. Chinese exports to Nigeria have increased by over half in last three months compared to the year earlier

 6). Chinese finance! Kenya plans to convert dollar denominated Chinese loans into yuan whilst Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa have signed currency swap agreements!

**TLDR**; the world (except America) is buying more and more of Chinese goods.

**But the anomaly is Mexico** \- imports from China dropped by 6% compared with a year earlier. The president of Mexico announced they would place new tariffs on "Chinese cars, textiles, and plastics which are meant to both shield local firms and placate (calm) Mr Trump".

Conclusion: "Mr Trump, who has long pushed for the creation of a 'Fortress North America' \[should be aware however\] that fortresses are rarely signs of confidence. In the 15th century China’s Ming dynasty turned inwards, curbing trade and constructing the Great Wall. The retreat sapped the country’s vitality and speeded up its decline. **In building its own walls, America risks making a similar mistake today** \- as the trade data already suggest."

*Any problems/issues with this please let me know!*

francis-02

Of course it is, the world isn't as reliant on America as the Trump regime hoped.  America was just preferable to China in global trade and now Trump and his cronies  ruined that with their dumb ass trade policies.

Shirotengu

Trump's trade war is a golden opportunity for China to replace America as the dominate economy. China has responded with a diplomatic initiative presenting itself as the dominate force for free trade and a trade alternative to the undependable and bullying USA. A year ago this initiative would go nowhere, as China has a history of dirty trade policies. However, now countries are listening.

ralphswanson

The world is much bigger than the USA. China has a lot of smart people, and they will sell their goods and services even if the Orange Palpatine has one tantrum after the next.

mycolo_gist

They're also having a deflationary boom, which is reframed in the Western media as some form of demand destruction. They're benefitting from economies of scale.

Dull_Wrongdoer_3017

We all thought that Trump would buy less from China, but by rebuilding US industries and backing to produce their own stuff. Making something like Foxconn. Rebuild the textile industry and many stuff from car parts and mainly taking off the chip industry from Asia.

But he started doing an tariff war to force US companies to build on China instead promove an better education for Americans and turn the country attractive again to build on US.

The big deal is, will Dollar become so weak that quickly that an desperate move like the tax war necessary? Because an 25-year plan to rebuild US Industrial capacity was what the world would expect. Which would put weight on China due commodities becoming expensive and the pressure of US becoming independent from them while they are behind some crucial sectors. I also wonder if the decline on childbirth is so aggravate to a plan like that and if regulation is so strong that makes expensive build on US.

China already gave the example of how they build things. Do everything possible and build an place with focus on that, like the Sock City, pretty much how Detroit was for Cars. I don't think US will crumble that easily due being top in many critical sectors, but i do think Trump played almost everything wrong. Promote brain drain, raise it's connections economically and make US better to invest would be the ideal while Democrats lost the election because they only cared to rights of minorities and other pointless stuff to the economical side. Otherwise, China will monopolize would production and that is never, never good.

Craniummon

People that have a business in china are loving the tariffs, meanwhile export to US are down , but profits are not. For example my friends company selling product for $1000 to the US, shipments and orders are down , but hes charging US $2500 for the so called “tariff” cost , and other countries are making up for the lost orders. China needed this tariff since it was having a hard time recovering from covid.

itzdivz

I'm confused how a tariff is an attack? Its America taxing its own people for importing from China.  Its not an embargo, it doesn't effect how much China can produce and sell to the rest of the world. 

This isn't America "attacking" China its America withdrawing from it.  I think its a foolish thing to do but its certainly not an attack any more than China establishing its own tariffs is.

azerty543

It’s so weird how Reddit has this weird hard on for China, an actual fascist regime, who has a bleak history of stealing IP and putting people in concentration camps, and actually manipulating their economy, simply because they oppose orange man.

Jbball9269

The economist hired a writer with a clear political agenda here. U.S., Chinese relations are more complex than mentioned. While the writers false assumption of that overstated significance is the whole set up, we are one connection, we are still involved and are still showing signs of dependence on China. This is not good. The rest of the world needs to break from this dependence before they start taking a dominant role in culture and global politics. Our movies are already pandering to Chinese viewers because the state bans western media constantly. They outright shun western products.

No_Restaurant_4471

There was a WSJ article last week saying China's Economy shows signs of Summer Slowdown.

Paywall https://www.wsj.com/economy/chinas-economy-shows-signs-of-summer-slowdown-201c15bf?st=ZcHS98

They also signaled slow export growth. 

Who to believe WSJ or the Economist?

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Trump is probably better described as having a hawkish view of trade which is confrontational think things like the tariffs, bringing back domestic manufacturing etc.

Bullish would be closer to a free trade position where you’re optimistic about trade and trying to expand it.

OkKindheartedness769

China grabbing power through trade was inevitable. Trump has simply revealed how screwed we really are.

Skylark7

None.

West needs to do a few things, which will cost money.

1. Build a stockpile of rare earths. Can buy from China. Enough to bridge a gap if China cuts us off later.

2. Build the infrastructure to support rare earth refining. Maybe it just sits in mothballs.

The environmental damage from producing rare earths is quite high and China is happy to absorb that. The scenario we face is like if OPEC had no production caps and just produced until oil dropped to $35 a barrel. All fracking would cease in the US and we would be dependent on OPEC.

AlexandbroTheGreat

I think China will regret their power grab.

StedeBonnet1

How could Kosovo have US as the largest trading partner in 2000 when it didn't even exist at that point?

gmaaz

Services based economies export much less than manufacturing based economies. Shocking.

Archaemenes

I assume this is mainly tracking the expansion of Chinese consumer goods to more markets and not a reduction in trade with the US or EU.

Few-Addendum464

How is Syria’s largest trading partner is the EU when the country has been heavily sanctioned since the 1980-x? And basically under a total economic embargo for the last 15 years? If anything it should be China both years

waddah_j

UK is part of EU on 2000 map and on the 2024 it is not - correct, bravo! Then why are all 13 countries that became part of EU between 2000 and 2024 marked as part of EU on both?

It's like HALF of EU in number of countries and still quite significant part in terms of land area or population. Come on.

Such a lazy mapmaking.

piterfraszka

I wonder what effect Brexit had on this, the UK imports a hell of a lot of stuff and together in the EU it could have knocked the total higher than China.

saxonturner

uniyk

[deleted]

USA took Jordan from EU 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

OHHHHHSAYCANYOUSEEE

patoezequiel

Chance-Anxiety-1711

most overlooked thing is that the pie for everyone is expanding...

AspireFIRE

So tired of this map. Every week. Yes, the West willingly deindustrialized and outsourced everything as per progressive neoliberal economics. We know.

ToonMasterRace

Isn’t the EU about putting trade barriers on the outside to grow trade inside the common market?

KingKaiserW

China is agrarian. Urbanizing fast? You bet 'cha, but still agrarian.

VillainAnderson

cartman89405

outtokill7

It's crazy that in 2024 of the 2700 billion dollars exported by the EU, 1550 billion were exported by Germany. In 2000 it was only around 125 billion

Justeff83

Why were yemen oman so ride or die chinese 25 years ago?

call_me_pete_

so USA isnt the largest trading partners for many countries anymore but they are still growing in trade, just not as well as china

Fat_Blob_Kelly

It would be interesting to have an "other" category, if a country's primary trading partner was neither of the 3 shown.  E.g. I would guess that Cuba and Belarus trade more with Russia than with the EU

psymon1111

20/20 hindsight, but what if the US had proceeded with the Trans-Pacific Partnership?

RichardSwellington

qwerhpi

I see that China has done well in South America 🤔

Low_Ad8603

mapzlyinsights

America number 1 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🦅💪🏿

MiroHr

Kazakhstan is a big surprise as a neighbor of China and a relative pro-Russian country.

Erno-Berk

I mean what products truly made in the US would you even buy abroad?

Even the software like Windows is getting worse.

Additional-Hour6038

Lego_Laws

I had American computer Dell, it held up really nicely, fuck made in China products always breaks. After a year. When warranty expires.

NumerousCarob6

Why the hell is the EU's shade of blue used for US dominance while the US's shade of blue used for EU dominance?


The maker of this map is a monster, a laughing, playful, Chinese monster.

democritusparadise

Canada and Mexico are working overtime to diversify markets to get off the Yank teet.

Novel_Adeptness_3286

The EU has lost Russia and they're not getting that back ever even after the war ends. They've managed to drive Russia and China to their closest ever relations in 80 years in what is quite possibly the most baffling case of diplomatic short-sightedness this century.

refusenic

sirbruce

This map makes it look like US isn't losing to China, instead mainly Europe is losing to China while US keeps its position.

XSATCHELX

BeepBeep_Move

Colombian President Gustavo Petro just signed Colombia up with the Chinese.

BathSalt_Walt

Put3socks-in-it

It looks like the chosen ones are moving the money east leaving the us with nothing but a civil war

ramosoy182

billy-suttree

All empires crumble. The US is crumbling now and taking its allies down with it. China is rising.

ProfAsmani

The trade volume between China and the United States has fallen by more than half from its peak. In the long run, this is no longer a trade war but a decoupling. I think China is well aware that even if it reaches a trade deal with the Trump administration, it would mean little. First, Trump will keep going back and forth and breaking his promises, and later there will be new rounds of blackmail and extortion. Moreover, the continued decline in trade between the two countries is inevitable. Therefore, instead of signing a deal with the Trump administration, it would be wiser to seek more trading partners. In fact, the combined annual imports of the U.K., France, and Germany already exceed those of the United States. Furthermore, China may be considering taking this opportunity to inflict the greatest possible blow on Trump, because it clearly understands that it has already lost the U.S. market.

i99990xe

They just understand that Sinophobia is bipartisan in USA, so no matter what trade deals they reach, Trump himself and all the subsequent administrations will keep walking back and continuing their containment policies. Therefore, decoupling is inevitable and it will be less painful longterm if it is done sooner than later.

4sater

It’s so simple to beat, you literally develop more trading partners and take advantage of those who were shunned by the US.  What’s one country vs the world.

Toubaboliviano

There is no better time than a Trump presidency for China to overtake the US as the world’s premiere superpower. 

They’re not going to let this go to waste. Their near monopoly on producing rare earth materials is a royal flush of a hand. In poker terms, they checked raised until we went all-in and now we see they have an unbeatable hand.

PostMerryDM

what Trump's policies are are abhorrent and how he went about them was incompetent. Taxing the world based on what AI spat out then backing off, then for real this time not only solidified resistance against US trade pressure but let them solidify a plan of action against him.  

the dumbest thing.

an_agreeing_dothraki

China has made trump look like such a little bitch I understand why trump is so upset. 

China is a leader in green energy 
trump killed green energy….
China is a leader in medical innovation and cost reduction 
trump blames Tylenol for autism and removed price controls and set up a new store so you can buy medicine from trump 
China takes seriously its financial accounting 
Trump fired anyone who doesn’t lie about everything 

You know maybe trump should shut the fuck up and copy what the smartest people are doing…..

Lifesucksgod

This is connected with AI inevitably restructuring the global economy. Obviously we're cutting investments in China because our standard of living is slipping. Also xi jingaling can eat my ass.

The shift away from China, then the massive increase overall after we realized we only need to print money.

lqIpI

Most of us should realize that China is not transferring there materials to other countries who are probably collecting a small cut of the inflated prices to get into the US.

Mexico is a Prime path for skirting tariffs.

Charlie_Q_Brown

paullx

So you mean it's not China that is the problem?! /s 

You mean the US consumer being "lazy" and not producing and "living beyond our means" relying on the US dollar being the sole currency to maintain our **huge** over-sized military machine (that only manages to "lose" wars but destroys other countries) and allows the US to **cut taxes** and **maintain a trillion-dollar federal gov't *deficit* year in, and year out, *for decades* -- truly WTF?!**

Is it any wonder the BRICS countries want to end the US dollar's role as the "sole reserve currency" and thereby force **cuts** in the US Pentagon budget and force Americans to pay for their own standard of living?!

IntnsRed

As a port worker on the east coast I can attest to how the diversification away from China has greatly stabilized cargo volumes in the last decade, as opposed to the west coast ports who are more China exposed. Since 2017, China has slid from our top trade partner to number three and as such,  we’ve felt little to no effect from tariffs thus far, with west coast ports taking the brunt of it. Trade diversification is really where these tariffs hope to make the most gains. 

[Less China means more business for Port of Virginia](https://www.freightwaves.com/news/less-china-means-more-business-for-port-of-virginia)

OverAdvisor4692

The ongoing trade tensions between the US and China are significantly affecting the global economic outlook, with key developments like China’s new export controls on rare earth materials causing concerns.

China-US Trade Relations and Global Economic Impact

Why This Matters

Public Sentiment Summary

Highlighted Comments

Parties Involved

What the people want