US companies in China are 'suffering' in trade war, survey says

BEIJING — The largest American business groups in China issued a plea to President Trump on Thursday: Please stop with the tariffs.

A survey from AmCham China and AmCham Shanghai found that nearly two-thirds of more than 430 U.S. firms in China say the tariffs Trump placed on billions of dollars of Chinese goods this summer have hurt their businesses.

Nearly half of respondents — who work in retail, food and manufacturing — say production costs have climbed, and 42 percent said they’ve noticed a decreased demand for their products. 

Just six percent, meanwhile, said they would consider moving factories to U.S. soil.

AmCham chairman William Zarit said American business leaders in China want Trump to rethink the levies he has proposed on an additional $200 billion in Chinese imports, including many consumer goods. The new border taxes are expected to take effect this fall. 

“The U.S. administration runs the risk of a downward spiral of attack and counterattack, benefiting no one,” Zarit said in statement. 

Sixty-four percent of companies that responded to the AmCham survey, which was conducted between Aug. 29 and Sept. 5, said the first round of tariffs that Trump slapped on $50 billion in Chinese imports this year have negatively affected their operations, while 63 percent said the same about the equal amount of duties Beijing imposed in retaliation.

Half the respondents reported they had endured more inspections, delayed customs clearance and other forms of heightened regulatory scrutiny. 

Eric Zheng, chairman of AmCham Shanghai, said he supported the administration’s goal to push Beijing into overhauling trade practices Trump considers unfair. The White House has accused China of forcing U.S. companies to partner with local firms and then stealing their intellectual property, among other grievances. 

“We support President Trump’s efforts to reset U.S.-China trade relations, address long-standing inequities and level the playing field,” Zheng said in a statement. “But we can do so through means other than blanket tariffs.”

Trump seeks to close what he has slammed as a hulking trade deficit. But the Chinese government has thus far refused to budge on the White House’s demands and vowed to retaliate against every American punch. 

If the president follows through with his threat to expand the commercial battle by fourfold, Beijing has said it will slap levies of up to 25 percent on 5,207 types of American imports. The list includes industrial parts, chemicals and medical instruments.

Chinese officials have called the targets “measured and restrained” and repeatedly declared the United States has forced Beijing to take actions that will ultimately hurt both countries. 

China has also warned it could unleash “qualitative” measures, which U.S. business groups have interpreted as more burdensome regulations, stalled visas and other red-tape headaches. 

AmCham’s survey results come a day after more than 60 U.S. industry groups launched a coalition called Americans For Free Trade, which aims to halt the White House’s proposed tariffs. The multi-million dollar campaign, comprised of thousands of companies, farmers and manufacturers, is arguing the trade war will kill U.S. jobs and raise prices for American households. 

Thus far, no more trade negotiations are scheduled between the United States and China.

But Larry Kudlow, head of the White House Economic Council, said Wednesday on the Fox Business Network that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had invited senior Chinese officials to rekindle the talks. 

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