‘Die faster if you stay’: Chinese exporters retreat from US as 145% tariffs crush profitability

Fearful Chinese exporters are making permanent plans to withdraw from the US market and turn to other regions like the Middle East for sales instead. - Photo: AFP

BEIJING: For an increasing number of Chinese exporters, many of whom battled through the trade war in US President Donald Trump’s first term and who have invested years to capture the spending power of American shoppers, it may be closing time in the United States.

With tariffs on Chinese imports at 145 per cent, factories that make items like coffee machines and yoga pants have halted shipments to the US and have idled their assembly lines to a three or four-day week.