Chinese Manufacturers in Fighting Spirit Despite Scrapped US Orders

On a sweltering spring day, workers at a Christmas tree factory in eastern China rhythmically assembled piles of branches, wiping away sweat as they daubed white-paint snow onto plastic pine needles.

- 

JINHUA, China - On a sweltering spring day, workers at a Christmas tree factory in eastern China rhythmically assembled piles of branches, wiping away sweat as they daubed white-paint snow onto plastic pine needles.

Like countless other companies in the manufacturing powerhouse of Zhejiang province, its products are geared largely towards export — a sector freshly menaced by US President Donald Trump's roiling of the global economy and increasingly brutal China tariffs.

On April 8, Mr. Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods to 104 per cent, before increasing them to 125 per cent the next day, later clarifying the cumulative figure at 145 per cent.

"At the beginning, there was some pessimism in the industry," Ms. Jessica Guo, the factory head, said.

"But in the last two days, we are more united, that is, we feel we cannot be bullied like this. We are willing to get through this difficult phase with the country."

The Chinese government is in fighting mode too. On April 11, it raised its own retaliatory duties to 125 per cent.

The tit-for-tat could reduce US-China trade in goods by 80 per cent, the World Trade Organisation has said.