China’s propagandists preach defiance in the trade war with America
The public seems on board, for now
Even before getting embroiled in a trade war with America, China’s officials were struggling to keep up public morale. Many people were already fretting about a weak job market and a property downturn. Now, American levies on most Chinese goods have reached a staggering 145% and China’s levies on American imports are at 125%.
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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Standing up”
From the April 19th 2025 edition
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Amid a trade war, Xi Jinping may be purging China’s armed forces
Why the tariff confrontation is not the only thing on his mind
Chinese officials are encouraging office workers not to work so hard
More free time means more consumption, they hope
China hawks are losing influence in Trumpworld, despite the trade war
“Restrainers” are taking over from “primacists”
Why are Chinese soldiers fighting in Ukraine?
They have been showing up on both sides of the battlefield throughout the war
China’s shoemakers seem more sanguine than its politicians
A trade war will cause a lot of damage, but many have weathered storms before
To secure exports to Europe, China reconfigures its rail links
A new line will bypass its best friend, Russia