Residents of the Chinese capital expressed indifference and defiance on Saturday when asked AFP about US President Donald Trump’s latest threat to impose drastic new tariffs on the country.
On Friday, Trump suddenly announced that the United States would impose additional 100% tariffs on all Chinese imports starting November 1 “or before,” also calling into question an upcoming meeting with President Xi Jinping.
Chinese authorities have yet to respond publicly to the threat, which Trump said was retaliation for Beijing’s new export control measures in the strategic rare earths sector.
The Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade did not comment when asked about this by AFP SATURDAY.
“I didn’t feel anything the first time I saw the news,” said Liu Ming, a 48-year-old employee at a software company, outside a major Beijing shopping mall.
“Trump always has these childish or capricious policies,” Liu said.
“China is not afraid of U.S. sanctions or policies to limit us. We have the confidence and ability to do better ourselves.”
“Great commotion”
Like others interviewed by AFP On the streets of Beijing on Saturday, Liu considers Trump fickle.
“From a Chinese person’s point of view, he’s a bit unreliable,” he said.
“He always moves from one policy to another, causing great emotion in the world.
“It’s not stable.”
Irene Wang, an insurance worker in her thirties, shares this sentiment.
“He says one thing today, but maybe after a nap he will change his mind again,” Wang joked.
“At his age (79), he should be a little more serene!”
She believes that the exorbitant tariffs threatened by Trump could backfire.
“For Americans, this could have an impact,” she said, because tariffs on Chinese goods could drive up prices in the United States.
As for the potential impact on people living in China, Wang acknowledged that she cannot completely ignore the news.
“Honestly, it’s not the first time, so we’ll have to wait and see how things develop.”
Hoping for “normal”
Some residents of the Chinese capital said AFP they expected only a moderate impact on their country’s economy if the trade war with Washington escalated again.
“The import-export sector, especially these companies, will inevitably be affected to some extent,” said Jesicca Yu, 40.
But “for ordinary Chinese, in the immediate future, I don’t think it will change much in their daily lives,” she said.
Yu also lamented the strained relations between Beijing and Washington.
“The more peaceful things are, the more economic development can take place,” she said.
“We hope things will return to normal.”
Lisa Liu, a colleague of Yu’s in her 30s, said she saw a good thing in Trump’s unpredictable approach to governing.
“He gives us a lot to talk about at the table,” she said.
