Trump tariffs: China is a manufacturing superpower - can tariffs change that?
The "Made in China" juggernaut was built over decades. Can Trump's moves set it back?
British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersCan Trump's tariffs break China's grip on manufacturing? 16 hours agoShareSaveJoel GuintoBBC NewsReporting fromSingaporeShareSaveGetty ImagesTrump's tariffs strike at the heart of China's manufacturing juggernautUS President Donald Trump has hit China with a second tariff in as many months, which means imports from there now face a levy of at least 20%.
This is his latest salvo against Beijing, which already faces steep US tariffs, from 100% on Chinese-made electric vehicles to 15% on clothes and shoes.
Trump's tariffs strike at the heart of China's manufacturing juggernaut - a web of factories, assembly lines and supply chains that manufacture and ship just about everything, from fast fashion and toys to solar panels and electric cars.
China's trade surplus with the world rose to a record $1tn (£788bn) in 2024, on the back of strong exports ($3.5tn), which surpassed its import bill ($2.5tn).
It has long been the world's factory - it has thrived because of cheap labour and state investment in infrastructure ever since it opened its economy to global business in the late 1970s.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxqeg51y36o
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