The lunchtime Seminar series at GRIPS is organized to disseminate the latest research findings by our faculty members and to foster academic dialogue within and beyond our community.

◆TOPIC
"Why did China respond firmly to Trump's tariffs, and why could it?"

◆SPEAKER
Dr. Yuqing Xing (Professor, GRIPS)

◆DATE/TIME
Wednesday, December 17, 12:15-13:15 (Japan Standard Time)

◆REGISTRATION
RSVP by December 15, using the link below (both in-person and online participation).
https://grips-ac-jp.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_P2AesC1xSVmkv4NvfFtp1w

*Bring your lunch with you if you are attending the seminar in person!

◆SYNOPSIS

On April 2, 2025, President Trump announced the reciprocal tariffs on all American trading partners. So far, China is the only country to have responded in kind to Trump's tariffs. Why did China do that, and why could it?
First, China made a few significant concessions to the US after Trump launched the Sino-US trade war in 2018, but failed to prevent its escalation. Therefore, it would not be an effective strategy to make further unilateral compromises. Second, most Chinese exports to America are manufactured along global value chains operated by American multinationals. Trump's reciprocal tariffs not only hurt Chinese manufacturers but also American companies that use China as an assembly or manufacturing base. This gives China the confidence to push back firmly against Trump's tariffs. Finally, with a GDP of more than $20 trillion, China has been the largest foreign market for many American products, such as soybeans, airplanes, iPhones, Tesla EVs, etc. These are the cards that China can easily play in the ongoing trade war.

◆SPEAKER'S BIO
Yuqing Xing is Professor of economics at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo. He worked at Asian Development Bank Institute, Bank of Finland, National University of Singapore, World Institute for Development Economics of United Nations University, and International University of Japan. His research on iPhone supply chains challenges the validity of conventional trade statistics in measuring the Sino-US bilateral trade balance. He is the author of "Decoding China's Export Miracle: A Global Value Chain Analysis," and the lead editor of "Global Value Chain Development Report 2021: Beyond Production" and "Global Value Chain Development Report 2023: Resilient and Sustainable GVCs in Turbulent Times."
Prof. Xing received a Ph.D. in economics from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an M.A. in economics, and a B.S. in mathematics from Peking University.
https://www.grips.ac.jp/list/jp/facultyinfo/xing_yuqing/