104% Tariff Just Announced On Chinese Imports..

[Will Prowse]

https://www.reuters.com/world/china-criticises-trump-tariff-blackmail-market-turmoil-settles-2025-04-08/

Trump tariff updates: US president unveils 90-day pause for most countries

These were the updates for Wednesday, April 9, 2025, as Trump announced 125-tariffs on imports from China.

www.aljazeera.com

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/08/business/trump-china-tariff/index.html

 

[robby]

If this lasts any length of time it is going to destroy most retailers and create huge amounts of unemployment.
Buckle up because this is going to be a bumpy ride.

 

[timselectric]

I skimmed through the boring repetition, of that story.
It's funny how they didn't mention that the increase was because China increased first.

 

[JWLV]

I've seen some panic buying already. I admit I bought something this week, even though originally I had planned to wait a few more months. I got a new iPhone 16. After reading that most iPhones are made in China and that the prices could increase in the coming months, I decided not to chance it and went to the Apple store.

Another thing I read was about the new Nintendo Switch 2. It is slated for release on June 5 but Nintendo shut down their pre order system. In a couple of months the original MSRP of $450 might not be the same price after the tariffs get added. I can understand Nintendo's business point of view. If they were going to sell it for $450, but by the time it reaches the shores of the US in June, the added tariffs would cause Nintendo to take a loss on every unit they sold. So they can't possibily have pre orders at $450 right now.

 

[rodrick]

I truly believe this isn’t going to last very long china is as dependent on us as we are on them if not more so they have to move large quantities of products to support their economy if the velocity slows down it will effect them rather quickly and even if they can find other markets they are most likely are not going to spend as much per item and purchase as much as us Americans

I personally believe they will try to lower prices to try to still sell their products and eat a lot of the tariffs by reducing their profits margins and subsidize their manufacturing sector to try to hold out

I think this may be the start of the movement of manufacturing to a new lower cost country as we have seen over the years think about how many countries have made products for the U.S markets over the years and eventually lost out to another country ( Japan-Taiwan-India-Vietnam-Korea ect )

 

[houseofancients]

I skimmed through the boring repetition, of that story.
It's funny how they didn't mention that the increase was because China increased first.

And they did so to counter the additional 34% announced on "Liberation Day"
Please prepare for life to get extremely expensive, and don't expected the Chinese nor Canada or the EU to give in to the us blackmail

 

[timselectric]

And they did so to counter the additional 34% announced on "Liberation Day"
Please prepare for life to get extremely expensive, and don't expected the Chinese nor Canada or the EU to give in to the us blackmail

Well, they have been screwing us for years. Thankfully, that's finally coming to an end.
But, there's no need to panic. It'll all work out.
And yes, I definitely expect that we will come out on top, once the dust settles.

 

[theimportanceofbeing]

Well, they have been screwing us for years. Thankfully, that's finally coming to an end.
But, there's no need to panic. It'll all work out.
And yes, I definitely expect that we will come out on top, once the dust settles.

With $300 billion ~ trade deficit in chinas favour , these tariff benefit America a lot more than china

It might be a bumpy road though

 

[timselectric]

With $300 billion ~ trade deficit in chinas favour , these tariff benefit America a lot more than china

It might be a bumpy road though

Absolutely.
Getting back to fair trade, is definitely a benefit to the one who was previously getting screwed.

 

[houseofancients]

Well, they have been screwing us for years. Thankfully, that's finally coming to an end.

stop believing the none sense you are being fed, nobody was screwing anybody here

But, there's no need to panic. It'll all work out.

of course it will, but in the meantime it will be very painful

And yes, I definitely expect that we will come out on top, once the dust settles.

not so sure, but time will tell

 

[timselectric]

stop believing the none sense you are being fed, nobody was screwing anybody here

It's not nonsense.
We have been making it easier and easier for other countries to profit from us.
It's time to level the playing field.

 

[houseofancients]

It's not nonsense.
We have been making it easier and easier for other countries to profit from us.
It's time to level the playing field.

a trade deficit is not getting screwed, just the mere fact that that is being used as a tag line , show a basic lack of understanding on how economics work.

Imagine you’re a musician, and you love pizza. You don’t make your own pizza—you buy it from Tony’s Pizza Shop down the street. Every week, you give Tony $50 for pizza, but Tony never comes to your shows or buys your music. You’ve got a “pizza deficit.”

Are you getting screwed? Not at all. You wanted pizza, you got pizza. Tony wanted money, he got money. Both sides are happy.

Now, what does Tony do with that $50? Maybe he spends it at a music store that sells your albums, or maybe he puts it in the bank, and that bank loans it to you to buy new music gear. The money still benefits you in the end—it just moves around differently.

Same with countries. The U.S. might have a trade deficit with, say, China. But that doesn't mean China is "winning" and the U.S. is "losing." It just means Americans are buying more goods, and the money eventually finds its way back—often through investment, loans, or spending in different areas.

 

[JWLV]

I don't feel screwed. I enjoyed buying 400-watt solar panels for $70. I like EG4's prices much more than SolArk's prices. If I had to pay $200 for those 400-watt panels, then I'd feel screwed. If I had to pay $5000 for an inverter instead of $1400, I'd feel really screwed.

I don't know about anyone else, but I would guess that most people would not get more enjoyment (or feeling unscrewed) by buying $200 panels compared to $70 panels.

 

[timselectric]

a trade deficit is not getting screwed, just the mere fact that that is being used as a tag line , show a basic lack of understanding on how economics work.

Imagine you’re a musician, and you love pizza. You don’t make your own pizza—you buy it from Tony’s Pizza Shop down the street. Every week, you give Tony $50 for pizza, but Tony never comes to your shows or buys your music. You’ve got a “pizza deficit.”

Are you getting screwed? Not at all. You wanted pizza, you got pizza. Tony wanted money, he got money. Both sides are happy.

Now, what does Tony do with that $50? Maybe he spends it at a music store that sells your albums, or maybe he puts it in the bank, and that bank loans it to you to buy new music gear. The money still benefits you in the end—it just moves around differently.

Same with countries. The U.S. might have a trade deficit with, say, China. But that doesn't mean China is "winning" and the U.S. is "losing." It just means Americans are buying more goods, and the money eventually finds its way back—often through investment, loans, or spending in different areas.

Not quite.
We have been giving breaks on products coming from other countries.
Actual incentives. I'm not saying that they did it to us. We done it to ourselves, they have just been riding the gravy train.
Americans have grown a custom to indulging ourselves with whatever tickles our fancy. (We like to buy useless crap)
And for many years our government has enabled that mindset by making imported goods cheaper. We have kept import tariffs low, to accommodate this.
And allowed other countries (namely China currently) to have higher tariffs on products traveling the other way.
The end goal of this is equal trading. Whether that ends up being balanced tariffs or no tariffs at all, the end goal will be reached.

 

[Madvelvet]

It is not just the tariffs that are concerning. The De minimis exemption has been eliminated so small orders under $800 from China will have extra fees added by customs. Here is an excerpt from a company I have been buying from in China. Battery prices are also rising fast.

 

[mvonw]

stop believing the none sense you are being fed, nobody was screwing anybody here

of course it will, but in the meantime it will be very painful

not so sure, but time will tell

Yeah, nobody knows for sure at this point. The real beneficiaries of this will be Europe, because China will be desperate to sell goods that Americans will not be able to afford. For people like me, I have dual US/EU citizenship with homes in US and Europe. I will be fine, but I am worried about my fellow citizens who are not as fortunate as myself, and I fear may suffer greatly if this madness continues.

 

[pollenface]

what if they are sent "as a gift" ??

this used to be a thing in Australia to avoid import duties, the seller in china would even gift wrap it

 

[Mattb4]

China has a lot to lose if they do not start negotiating and back away from one upmanship. The 104% was because they figured they could do a equal Tariff increase as that imposed by the US and did not seem to understand that reciprocal means that another Tariff increase would happen to them.

Today it is 104% If China answers that with another retaliatory increase it could be 150% and more. Eventually Trade with China will come to a halt. This has major political implications for a Communist led country as their people lose income/employment and blame the people in charge.

On a personal level my only purchases of Chinese products are those that are ready to ship in the USA and no more needing import. Too much uncertainty until all this wrangling is worked out.

 

[BarracudaBob]

Finely the motivation I have been looking for to do all the round tuits around the house.

All of a sudden my wife because a huge Trump supporter. No new solar purchases for a while.

 

[aussiesam]

I wish that instead of having these discussions about politics, we as DIY people could focus on how we are going to deal with the new tariffs and come up with solutions that will benefit us. Making more yourself or finding new suppliers, deals etc. The politics stuff sucks because a lot of people on this forum that I respect are brainwashed and kinda like Europe right now I'm having to bite my tongue to not upset them, lol

 

[Daferris]

In a nutshell.... "So much winning" LOL Unfortunately our dear leader in DC has decided to piss off our friends (Canada, Japan, Mexico, Denmark & the EU the NATO alliance for example). Well declaring a trade war on the entire world... That is with the exception of North Korea, Russia and Belarus. Then expect everyone to bend over and give Trump everything he wants. Not sure what the folks that think this is a great idea are smoking but it defies common sense or what the expected reaction of how a normal person would react.

Perhaps to get "favor" and a reduction in a tariff he is hoping that other countries would buy his Bitcoin clone that they came out with the fleece more money....

Rant over. But as an American I'm sad to see just how stupid and self harming we have been to ourselves.

Are we tired of winning yet??? Just a plain fact based observation might not have liked Biden's actions with a number of issues. But I was much better off with Bidenomics...

 

[chill633]

And...China just bumped THEIR tariffs on all US goods to 84%. So much for "begging for a deal".

 

[BarracudaBob]

Now is the time to invest in the stock market. One last big swing for a 30% increase to finalize my retirement fund.

there may be a glut of product that other countries are unable to sell. Tariffs come down to an acceptable level and you will see a sell off on an epic scale.

Living through many of these dips and peeks I see it as a numbers game. The ones with pationce and timing will prevail. You always hear that you can't time the market... I call bull shit! Been there done that.

One last big cycle left is this old man. Giddy up horsey, it is going to be one hell of a ride

 

[Q-Dog]

I'm buying more stuff from the grocery store than they buy from me, thus I must be getting screwed by the grocery store.

It's a stupid arguement to justify starting a trade war.

 

[BarracudaBob]

I'm buying more stuff from the grocery store than they buy from me, this I must be getting screwed by the grocery store.

Time for a victory garden, especially living in the south.