logo
episode-header-image
May 6
17m 29s

How prepared is China for a new trade wa...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

With tariffs of up to 145% on US imports from China, we take a look at how its playing out in the country.

China’s leaders are downplaying the potential impact of the trade war - we speak to Chinese exporters and economists to find out what’s really happening and whether the country’s economy is as resilient as senior officials are saying.

The impact is already being felt in factories - so will the US or China blink first?

Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Josh Martin

(Image: Employees work on a production line of caps that will be exported to the US at a factory in Suqian, in eastern China's Jiangsu province on 7 April 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

Up next
Today
Spain's power blackout: what went wrong?
On the morning of the 28th of April, Spain lost electric power equivalent to that generated by ten nuclear plants, leaving the whole of the Iberian Peninsula, including Portugal and parts of France, without electricity for up to 12 hours. We examine the cause of the blackout that ... Show More
17m 28s
Aug 21
Business Daily meets: Spencer Horne
The South African entrepreneur tells us about his experience growing up under the apartheid regime, before securing a scholarship that would take him to Harvard University in the US.He's now returned home to set up Cloudline, an airship company which aims to deliver goods and car ... Show More
17m 29s
Aug 20
Are you a personality hire?
The trend has taken off on social media as it's resonated with office workers around the world. So what value does an extroverted colleague bring to a company? And is it fair, or even legal, for businesses to recruit for specific personality types?Produced and presented by Imran ... Show More
17m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
China Is Exporting Unemployment | Michael Pettis on Global Trade Imbalances, American Capital Controls, and the End of The Chinese Growth Miracle
Forward Guidance is sponsored by VanEck. Learn more about the VanEck Morningstar Wide MOAT ETF (MOAT) at https://vaneck.com/MOATFG. Follow Michael Pettis on Twitter https://x.com/michaelxpettisFollow VanEck on Twitter https://x.com/vaneck_usFollow Jack Farley on Twitter https://t ... Show More
1h 31m
Jan 2025
Will Trump’s Tariffs Reshape Asian Economies?
Our Global Head of Fixed Income and Public Policy Research Michael Zezas and Chief Asia Economist Chetan Ahya discuss the potential impact of U.S. tariffs in China and beyond. ----- Transcript ----- Michael Zezas: Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I'm Michael Zezas, Morgan Stanl ... Show More
6m 54s
Aug 2024
Why China Is Risking a Trade War
Faced with stagnating economic growth, Chinese leader Xi Jinping decided to go all in on manufacturing and exporting. But, as Lingling Wei reports, the increase in low-cost Chinese goods is squeezing businesses around the world and raising the specter of a new trade war. Further ... Show More
19m 29s
Apr 2025
Footwear will likely still be “Made in China”
Import levies on Chinese goods amount to 54% right now. But some things that China excels at producing will likely remain in China. In this episode, why shoemaking can’t up and leave anytime soon. Plus: Copper prices ballooned and tanked in the past few weeks, European carmakers ... Show More
25m 39s
Oct 2023
What China’s Slowdown Means for the World
The world’s second-largest economy is slowing down. But are concerns overblown? What’s at risk for the global economy? How should policymakers react?The Wall Street Journal’s chief China correspondent, Lingling Wei; economist Adam Posen; and FP’s James Palmer join Ravi Agrawal to ... Show More
47m 7s
Sep 2024
Why China’s economy is struggling
After a stronger-than-expected start to the year, China’s economy is showing signs of weakening as the world’s second-largest economy struggles with a real estate downturn, slowing consumer spending, and geopolitical tensions. Goldman Sachs Research’s Hui Shan, chief China econom ... Show More
19m 2s
Nov 2024
This is why China is gaining global influence, while USA loses it
US politicians and media outlets complain about China's growing global influence, but offer no alternatives to help countries develop. China has the world's largest economy, produces inexpensive manufactured goods everyone wants, invests trillions in infrastructure, and doesn't i ... Show More
29m 14s
Apr 2025
How have Trump's tariffs already affected China?
China's economy is already struggling. Growth has slowed dramatically in recent years and there is high youth employment. Since the beginning of March, there's also been a tax of 20% on any goods sold to the US.      Ahead of President Donald Trump’s "liberation day", what effect ... Show More
16m 12s
Apr 2025
Trump Considers Slashing China Tariffs
P.M. Edition for April 23. We exclusively report that President Trump is considering cutting steep tariffs on Chinese imports, a move that could de-escalate the trade war. WSJ chief China correspondent Lingling Wei tells us what that means for the broader relationship between the ... Show More
13m 30s
Dec 2024
How One Business Owner Is Getting Ahead of Trump's Tariffs
As President-elect Donald Trump lays out his plan for increasing tariffs on goods made in China and Mexico, some U.S. businesses are stockpiling. Small business owner Jason Junod explains what he thinks the impacts of the proposed tariffs will be, and why he hasn’t been able to g ... Show More
19m 9s