China News
TRADE WARS
Chinese shoppers shrug off tariffs on US pantry staples
Chinese shoppers shrug off tariffs on US pantry staples
By Mary YANG
Beijing (AFP) Mar 10, 2025

Chinese tariffs on a range of US fruit, vegetables and other pantry staples took effect on Monday but locals at a lively Beijing market largely shrugged off the escalating trade war.

The levies of 10 and 15 percent on American agricultural products, which also include meat, grains and cotton, were imposed after US President Donald Trump raised a blanket tariff on all Chinese goods to 20 percent last week.

Vendors in a downtown market said they weren't worried about sales despite the potential for higher prices at the check-out.

"If prices go up, folks won't eat imported stuff," a fruit seller, surnamed Shi, told AFP.

"There will be more domestic goods sold, and I think this is something folks can accept."

Shi's offerings -- from bananas and strawberries to durian and mangosteen -- come from all around the world, but he said fruit grown within China typically sells better.

"The freshness of our domestic products is greater than imported stuff," the 31-year-old said.

Shi said he might sell fewer US varieties while offering more options from other countries, such as Thailand and Malaysia.

A steady stream of shoppers, mostly retirees, carried bags of meat and produce as they meandered through the market's stalls.

He Yulian, who was visiting her daughter in Beijing, said she was indifferent about the trade war.

She said she cared only about quality, not where a product was from.

"For regular folks, if we can tell something is imported from the United States, we can try to buy less of it -- or not at all," the 65-year-old from Shanxi said.

- 'Responsibility to ourselves' -

However, He said that for certain products such as milk and infant formula, she preferred imports to their Chinese versions.

The Chinese public is no stranger to domestic food safety scandals.

One of the most notorious involved milk adulterated with the chemical melamine, which killed six infants and poisoned hundreds of thousands of others in 2008.

Beijing has pledged to do more to tighten food safety regulations in recent years but distrust lingers.

In 2022, pork-processing giant Henan Shuanghui apologised after unhygienic work practices such as packaging meat that had dropped on the floor were exposed.

"It's not that we're not patriotic," He said. "It's because we have a responsibility to ourselves."

Beijing's tariffs took effect on Monday, although they will not apply to goods that left before March 10 as long as they arrive in China by April 12.

Fruit seller Shi said that, while levies were being put in place by both sides, the fight would be "better for China" because domestic goods would "become more powerful".

In the short term, though, he acknowledged that everyday budgets might be hit.

"You still need to buy what you need at home," he said.

"Indeed, it's regular people who suffer the most."

Related Links
Global Trade News

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
TRADE WARS
Trump backs off Mexico, Canada tariffs after market blowback
Washington (AFP) Mar 7, 2025
US President Donald Trump on Thursday delayed some tariffs targeting Canada and Mexico, leading Ottawa to halt an upcoming wave of countermeasures - offering a reprieve to companies and consumers after blowback on financial markets. Stock markets tumbled after Trump's duties of up to 25 percent took effect Tuesday, as economists warned that blanket levies could weigh on US growth and raise inflation. Trump signed orders Thursday to hit pause on the fresh tariffs for Canadian and Mexican imports ... read more

TRADE WARS
Shenzhou XIX crew successfully tests pipeline inspection robot on space station

Shenzhou 19 Crew Advances Scientific Research and Conducts Training in Space

Moon-Exposed Grass Seeds to Be Cultivated on Earth

China Prepares for Launch of Tianwen 2 Asteroid Mission

TRADE WARS
China holds talks with Walmart on impact of US tariffs: local reports

China, EU vow countermeasures against sweeping US steel tariffs

Sri Lanka signs $2.5b debt deal with Japan

Trump backs off Mexico, Canada tariffs after market blowback

TRADE WARS
TRADE WARS
Oil companies greet Trump return, muted on tariffs

Russian strikes kill 12 in eastern Ukraine

EU chief sees US as 'allies' despite 'differences'

Poland expands military training to all men; mulls mines treaty exit; Lithuania quits cluster bomb treaty

TRADE WARS
Highly radioactive nuclear waste - preserving awareness for future generations

Framatome advances nuclear fuel innovation as U.S. NRC reviews high burnup fuel report

Nuclear inspectors review contentious Bangladesh plant

Spain under pressure to abort nuclear energy phase-out

TRADE WARS
From critic to investor: Trump welcomes crypto leaders to White House

Chinese hackers indicted in US for Treasury breach, other attacks

Pentagon orders Russian cyber offensive 'stand down'

Taiwan detains Chinese ship captain for severing subsea cable

TRADE WARS
Highly radioactive nuclear waste - preserving awareness for future generations

Framatome advances nuclear fuel innovation as U.S. NRC reviews high burnup fuel report

Nuclear inspectors review contentious Bangladesh plant

Spain under pressure to abort nuclear energy phase-out

TRADE WARS
Engineers' new design of offshore energy system clears key hurdle

Student refines 100-year-old math problem, expanding wind energy possibilities

Berlin says offshore Chinese wind farm may pose security risk

Green energy projects adding to Sami people's climate woes: Amnesty

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.