United States President Donald Trump‘s visit to Beijing this month is “none of my business,” says Chinese salesperson Yu Yangxian, even though a large share of the electric lockers and vending machines sold by her company are destined for the US.
“As long as the United States continues to trade, it will have to do business with us,” said Yu, whose company uses a strategy of partially passing on added costs to US consumers. “China‘s supply chains and the product quality are strong.”
While tariffs still matter, she said the company emerged from a turbulent 2025, when levies briefly rose to triple-digits, with its US client base largely intact and, like many Chinese exporters, gaining new markets globally.
That shows how competitive and resilient Chinese manufacturing has become, Yu added, by following a long-standing national strategy of self-sufficiency to build near-complete domestic supply chains across industries.
“Whether he comes to negotiate or to declare a fight, it does not pose a major threat to us,” she added, speaking of Trump.
Companies no longer overreact to Trump’s moves, having become “numb” to his threats, said Ren Yanlin, an executive at a Chinese firm dealing with overseas factory projects.
“The mindset is that it doesn’t matter anymore.”
Eric Zheng, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in the commercial hub of Shanghai, said the association’s nearly 3,000 members had limited expectations of what Trump can achieve on his trip, but drew consolation from the prospect of dialogue.
They would welcome an extended truce on tariffs and export curbs, potentially with some Chinese purchase commitments in areas such as Boeing aircraft, soybeans, or US energy, he said.
But few counted on lasting relief.
“A truce is great, better than a trade war, but a truce is temporary,” said Zheng.
“We need some certainty. Companies need to plan for the long term, not the next 90 days, not even six months. It has to be several years.”
