US Public Opinion Shifts Against Higher Tariffs on China Amid Economic Talks With Xi Jinping
A majority of Americans now opposes increasing tariffs on China, a trend that could undermine President Donald Trump's negotiating position as he prepares to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday. A recent survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found that just 38% of respondents support higher tariffs on China, down from 55% last year.
The shift in public opinion is attributed largely to Democrats and independents who are warming up to the idea of economic cooperation with China instead of protectionist policies. In contrast, Republicans remain divided, but a significant majority - 67% - still back increasing tariffs on China. However, when asked about potential outcomes of US-China trade talks, two-thirds of respondents across party lines supported reducing tariffs in exchange for Beijing's concessions.
The U.S.-China trade war was reignited this past spring after Trump raised tariffs on Chinese imports, citing unfair practices and a bilateral trade deficit. The conflict has persisted despite the administration's efforts to ease tensions through economic cooperation, particularly with regards to the opioid crisis. Following weekend talks in Malaysia, US and Chinese officials hinted at a wide-ranging deal being possible.
The growing opposition to higher tariffs on China is reflected in rising consumer prices, which have increased by 3% year-over-year in September, largely attributed to import taxes. Trump has repeatedly employed tariffs as his economic leverage tool, but the shift in public opinion could impact his hard-line stance during talks with Xi Jinping.
A majority of Americans now opposes increasing tariffs on China, a trend that could undermine President Donald Trump's negotiating position as he prepares to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday. A recent survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found that just 38% of respondents support higher tariffs on China, down from 55% last year.
The shift in public opinion is attributed largely to Democrats and independents who are warming up to the idea of economic cooperation with China instead of protectionist policies. In contrast, Republicans remain divided, but a significant majority - 67% - still back increasing tariffs on China. However, when asked about potential outcomes of US-China trade talks, two-thirds of respondents across party lines supported reducing tariffs in exchange for Beijing's concessions.
The U.S.-China trade war was reignited this past spring after Trump raised tariffs on Chinese imports, citing unfair practices and a bilateral trade deficit. The conflict has persisted despite the administration's efforts to ease tensions through economic cooperation, particularly with regards to the opioid crisis. Following weekend talks in Malaysia, US and Chinese officials hinted at a wide-ranging deal being possible.
The growing opposition to higher tariffs on China is reflected in rising consumer prices, which have increased by 3% year-over-year in September, largely attributed to import taxes. Trump has repeatedly employed tariffs as his economic leverage tool, but the shift in public opinion could impact his hard-line stance during talks with Xi Jinping.
! like, finally people are seeing sense and realizing that tariffs aren't the answer 
. trump's been using them to get what he wants from china, but it seems like americans are getting wise 
️. and yaaas, let's talk about those chinese imports 
! they're basically our new best friends 
. plus, who doesn't love the idea of economic cooperation 
? i mean, we should be working together with china on all sorts of things, not just trade 
. anyway, fingers crossed that trump will come out of these talks with something actually good for america 
. can't wait to see what happens next 
!
? First, they raise tariffs, then people start to think it's a bad idea and now Trump is gonna meet with Xi Jinping... like what's the plan here? 
It seems like everyone just wants things to calm down already. I mean, I get that we need to protect our economy, but do we really need to pick on China too? 
And what's up with this 3% rise in consumer prices? That's not good for anyone 
. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how these talks go down... Fingers crossed for a peaceful resolution 
the fact that 2/3 of respondents are down for reducing tariffs in exchange for concessions is a major win for diplomacy over drama 
and let's be real, those rising consumer prices aren't exactly helping anyone 
I'm not surprised to see a majority of Americans opposing higher tariffs on China. I mean, think about it - we're talking about a country that's basically our biggest trading partner right now. And what do the tariffs get us? Higher prices for stuff like electronics and toys? Not exactly the most compelling argument.
didnt see that comin' but makes total sense if we think about it economically and all... like, lets be real, tariffs r not the answer to all our problems 
its time for us to focus on finding common ground with china instead of being super protectiveist 
. Like, can't we just chill and have some economic harmony already? It's been going on for ages, and I'm starting to think it's all just a big mess 
. It's not like it's going to solve anything... *sigh*.
. Maybe they're right - maybe we should be focusing on working together instead of trying to tear each other down 
.
. But at the same time, I'm also worried that we're gonna end up with nothing from these talks because everyone's just too divided on what they want to get out of them... ugh!