Here's what Trump’s tariff threats look like on the ground in China
As President Donald Trump threatens to impose his first tranche of tariffs on the world Saturday, Chinese manufacturers are bracing for impact.
Though Trump is proposing his biggest initial swing at Canada and Mexico with a proposed 25% tariff, the U.S. president still has China on his radar. After a report that the administration could delay at least some of the duties until March 1, the White House said Friday that Trump will follow through on plans to slap 10% tariffs on imports from China on Saturday. On the campaign trail, he threatened tariffs on Chinese-made goods of 60% or more.
Trump has contended tariffs boost U.S. manufacturing and job growth, and early in his second term has used the threats to gain leverage in policy negotiations. Even so, if Trump imposes the levies, they could raise prices for U.S. consumers on everything from furniture to electronics.
In China, new duties could damage exporters who rely on the U.S. market. On a recent trip to the manufacturing belt of Guangdong province, CNBC found factory owners preparing for the tariff threat. Here are three main takeaways:
Hoping to beat Trump's tariffs, furniture seller Harry Li is doubling the number of products he ships to the U.S. and stockpiling them in warehouses there.
He expects the strategy will force him to raise prices as much as 10% -- no matter what Trump's tariffs turn out to be.
He sells four out of five of his tables and other large furnishings to American consumers.
"I have to ship them in advance and take on more risk," he said at his Foshan factory.
His company Tianyiled plans to keep the extra inventory in the U.S. until Trump's tariff plan for China becomes clearer.
In addition to stockpiling, Li is considering other ways to avoid the