China has begun censoring certain tariff-related content on social media platforms following the implementation of U.S. "reciprocal" tariffs, which include a massive 104% duty on Chinese goods.
Posts criticizing the U.S. and discussing the tariffs have been blocked or removed across popular platforms like Weibo and WeChat.
Hashtags and search terms like "tariff" and "104" were mostly inaccessible on Weibo, with users encountering error messages. In contrast, some hashtags promoting alternative narratives, such as those alleging a U.S. egg shortage, gained significant traction on the platform. State broadcaster CCTV fueled this narrative with a hashtag "#UShastradewarandaneggshortage," mocking the U.S. for imposing high tariffs while supposedly scrambling for eggs.
The censorship also extended to WeChat, where posts from Chinese companies highlighting the negative impacts of Trump's tariffs were deleted, and those posts that remained were marked with a warning that the content "violated relevant laws, regulations, and policies."
Beijing has already announced counter-tariffs in response to the U.S. tariffs and vowed to resist what it views as economic coercion. As China prepares for an extended trade battle with the U.S., internet censorship plays a role in shaping public perception, with content critical of the U.S. being allowed to proliferate, while content that could undermine national interests is removed.
Commentators and analysts within China, including Beijing lawyer Pang Jiulin, have suggested that the country could shift its export focus to other markets like Vietnam and India. He added that if China retaliates with its own 104% tariffs, prices for American goods like Apple and Tesla products would rise, further affecting Chinese consumers.
Despite the challenges posed by the tariff escalation, Chinese authorities have emphasized their resolve to stand firm. Chinese stocks initially tumbled in response to the tariffs, with the Shanghai Composite Index dropping 7% in its worst day in five years. However, markets recovered slightly by Wednesday, supported by government pledges to back local markets.
Prominent commentator Hu Xijin criticized the U.S. approach, calling the Trump administration "delusional" and predicting that the tariffs would go down in history as a mistake. "They are at war not only with the whole world but also with the most basic rules of human society, so their chances of victory are zero," Hu remarked. "Their reciprocal tariffs will be nailed to the pillar of shame in history for future generations to laugh at."
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