China tariffs could deal blow to Chinatowns in New York, San Francisco and beyond
In Chinatowns across the country, people worry about the potential damage to business, loss of cultural traditions and the already high rates of poverty in these immigrant communities.
NEW YORK — Amid newly imposed tariffs on China, one spiritual wares store selling feng shui products in Chinatown fears the closure of longtime neighborhood establishments. A pack of noodles could increase by at least a dollar. The cost of takeout containers could hike up delivery prices.
Overall, businesses in Chinatown neighborhoods nationwide, which are particularly import-heavy, are looking at a potential 8% increase in prices.
But tariff fears are not just about financial concerns. In Chinatowns across the country, people worry about the loss of cultural traditions and the already high rates of poverty in these largely immigrant communities. In New York City, for example, 28% of Chinatown residents live below the poverty line.
Chinatowns contends with a unique crisis because many of the items sold there aren’t often available on mainstream platforms like Amazon. And there’s simply not enough demand for them for companies to build factories in the U.S.
Trump added a 10% tariff on all imports from China this week on top of a previous 10% tariff he had imposed on Chinese goods last month. These are in addition to tariffs of up to 25% Trump imposed during his first term. He said the import taxes, which he also imposed on Canada and Mexico before temporarily pausing them, will be in place until China takes action to reduce the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.
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