Chinatown merchants in the US are feeling the bite of tariffs.
Last week, a pack of rice crackers at Sun Vin Grocery store on Mulberry Street in New York City’s Chinatown cost $4.99.
But this week, after President Donald Trump’s tariffs on items imported from China took effect, the same crackers have a new price: $6.99.
Chinatowns across the U.S. are feeling the effects of the escalating tariff war, as prices of household goods imported from China, including traditional Chinese medicine, dried noodles and jade jewelry have already started to rise.
While Trump paused his tariffs on most of the world for 90 days, his tit-for-tat trade war with China has resulted in a steep 145% tariff on Chinese goods, and that’s hitting mostly family-owned small businesses in Chinatown hard. Many immigrant Chinese communities rely on businesses in local Chinatowns across the country for goods that are central to Chinese culture, for which there are few, if any, alternatives.
Last week, a pack of rice crackers at Sun Vin Grocery store on Mulberry Street in New York City’s Chinatown cost $4.99.
But this week, after President Donald Trump’s tariffs on items imported from China took effect, the same crackers have a new price: $6.99.
Chinatowns across the U.S. are feeling the effects of the escalating tariff war, as prices of household goods imported from China, including traditional Chinese medicine, dried noodles and jade jewelry have already started to rise.
While Trump paused his tariffs on most of the world for 90 days, his tit-for-tat trade war with China has resulted in a steep 145% tariff on Chinese goods, and that’s hitting mostly family-owned small businesses in Chinatown hard. Many immigrant Chinese communities rely on businesses in local Chinatowns across the country for goods that are central to Chinese culture, for which there are few, if any, alternatives.
7 months ago
