Chinese factories already say the first effects of draconian customs surcharges decreed by Donald Trump against “made in China.” Their requests fell and could be forced to move away from the US market.
The trend feels in particular in the province of Guangdong (south of China), the manufacturing heart of the Asian giant, where thousands of factories do everything: clothing to electronic products.
They feed the insatiable appetite for the consumption of the world by producing unbeatable costs. For decades, the province has played an engine role in China’s rise as an economic superpower.
But the battle of US President Donald Trump to repatriate the manufacturing industry to the United States and its commercial war against Beijing could alter everything.
The owner of a textile factory in Canton, the capital of Guangdong, Xiao Junyi explains to AFP that the US market represents 20 to 30% of its orders.
Part of the assets of his factory is sold to American consumers through Temu, the online commercial of low -cost products, which belongs to Chinese giant PDD holdings.
Before the new American surcharge, 145% in most products, and 245% for some, Temu published a note that would reduce its advertising investments in the United States, says Xiao Janyi.
“An endless competition”
Now he hopes to find other points of sale that the United States: “We can trade with everyone,” he said.
Xiao Junyi, however, considers “unlikely” that other countries can completely replace the US market.
Not far is the Canton Fair, a great commercial event organized twice a year.
This fair allows buyers around the world to meet Chinese manufacturers, see their products closely or establish new supply chains.
But this year, US clients are rare.
“It will affect Americans”
Those present rejected any request for an interview when AFP asked them what products interested them, or if the commercial war would complicate their business.
Among the Chinese companies that wish to establish contacts with the lighting technology of figure of figure, a producer of LED lighting solutions, which especially provides the online trade of American Mastodon of Amazon.
“It is a new episode of the commercial war,” said Andy Lin, responsible for commercial development, in one of its factories located in Zhongshan, near Canton.
“This situation cannot last because it has very specific repercussions for all countries, adds Andy Lin. This will particularly affect the daily life of Americans.”
New customers
The deceleration in exports to Donald Trump America could also affect the manufacturing industry in the United States, where Wosen contributes to several hundred people.
In the factories visited by AFP this week in Guangdong, the activity was in full swing. The workers were busy in the production lines, in the middle of the ronrona of the running ribbons.
Many manufacturers have recognized that the intensification of the commercial war would interrupt their activities. But they expect them to encourage new customers, outside the United States.
Donald Trump’s surcharge should weigh on consumers in the United States because they could increase inflation, said the head of the American Central Bank, Jerome Powell, this week.
In the other sense, Andy Lin, of the woman company, judges that Beijing’s customs surcharges in the “made in the United States” will have few repercussions on the daily life of the Chinese. She says that it consumes few American products and is used to buying commercial online commercial platforms, which are provided to local manufacturers.
“Unless you look for very specific products, the impact will be minimal” in the daily life of the Chinese, believes.
Source: BFM TV
