African trade ministers meet today over US tariffs affecting exports
Trade war with US forces China to censor tariff information on social media
Trade war with US forces China to censor tariff information on social media
By: admin | 2 mins read
Reuters reports that China has begun censoring social media content related to tariffs, following 104% duties imposed on Chinese goods by the United States as part of "reciprocal" measures affecting numerous countries.
On Wednesday, searches and hashtags including "tariff" and "104" were largely blocked on the popular social media platform Weibo, with users encountering error messages.
"Simultaneously, hashtags highlighting an alleged egg shortage in the U.S. gained significant traction, with state broadcaster CCTV actively promoting the narrative using the hashtag "#UShastradewarandaneggshortage." CCTV accused the U.S. of aggressively using tariffs while simultaneously seeking egg imports from Europe," Reuters reported.
Already, Beijing has revealed counter-tariffs on the U.S. The government views the US' position as blackmail. Chinese internet censors, operating under the "Great Firewall," are reportedly allowing anti-U.S. commentary to spread, framing the U.S. as an unreliable global trading partner as tensions escalate between the two economic giants. Foreign social media platforms are blocked in China, creating a dominant market for domestic alternatives like Weibo.
Beijing lawyer Pang Jiulin, a prominent Weibo user, suggested that while China's exports to the U.S. might be replaced by other nations, Chinese companies would ultimately lose opportunities. He also warned that if China retaliated with similar 104% tariffs, American goods like Apple and Tesla would become significantly more expensive for Chinese consumers.
While acknowledging that China exports significantly more to the U.S. than it imports, making tariff retaliation potentially less effective, analysts suggest it might be Beijing's only option if it believes it can withstand economic pressure better than Washington.
Chinese stock markets experienced a sharp decline earlier in the week, with the Shanghai Composite Index falling by 7% on Monday, its worst day in five years. However, the market recovered on Wednesday following state assurances of support.
Prominent Chinese commentator Hu Xijin dismissed the U.S. approach as "delusional," asserting that their trade policies are at odds with global norms and therefore destined to fail. He predicted that the U.S. reciprocal tariffs would be historically viewed with ridicule.
Additional information from Reuters.
