Chinese firms, trapped in Trump policy maelstrom, struggle to stay on course

From tariffs to package deliveries, unexpected policy declarations – and in some cases, near-immediate reversals – from US President Donald Trump are becoming an inescapable aspect of risk calculation for Chinese companies with links to the American market.

Though unpredictability appears to be a fact of life under the new US president, Chinese exporters and cross-border e-commerce sellers must be on constant alert as rapidly changing geopolitical circumstances can lead to sudden surges in cost.

David Wang, who manufactures baking tools in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, said he planned to develop new products after the Lunar New Year and sell them through e-commerce platforms in the US.

“But given the current situation, it seems wiser to put those plans on hold for now,” he said, referring to the delivery stoppage.

If another moratorium is announced later, he said, “many cross-border e-commerce businesses will struggle.”