The United States and China appear trapped in a growing cycle of retaliation, each responding to the other’s trade moves. The latest development came after former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. will enforce a steep 104% tariff on Chinese goods starting at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Wednesday. This follows China’s decision to keep its own 34% tariffs on American imports.
Hollywood Could Be Caught in the Crossfire
Until now, Hollywood has mostly avoided direct consequences from Trump’s tariffs. That’s because movies and streaming content are treated as services, not physical products. But that might change soon.
On Tuesday, two well-known Chinese bloggers – Liu Hong and Ren Yi (known online as “Chairman Rabbit”) – claimed that Chinese authorities are considering new measures to strike back at the U.S., and those measures could involve banning Hollywood films.
Liu Hong is reportedly a senior editor at Xinhua, China’s state-backed news agency. Ren Yi is the grandson of former Communist Party leader Ren Zhongyi. Both bloggers shared similar claims and cited unnamed sources said to be close to government planning. Bloomberg News was the first Western outlet to report on these online posts.
Official Response Remains Vague
After the claims about banning Hollywood went viral, many people wanted to know if China really planned to block American films. But so far, Chinese officials haven’t confirmed or denied the idea.
When asked about the blog posts and the alleged countermeasures, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “We generally do not comment on online remarks. We have made it quite clear regarding China’s stance. China will continue to take firm measures to safeguard our legitimate rights and interests.”
His comments didn’t support the Hollywood ban, but he also didn’t rule it out — keeping the situation unclear.
What Sparked the Latest Round of Tariffs?
Last week, Trump raised tariffs on Chinese products by 34%, adding to the 20% he had already imposed in March. In response, China introduced its own 34% tariff on American goods.
Then, on Monday, Trump posted on Truth Social giving China an ultimatum. He said, “If China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long-term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th. Additionally, all talks with China concerning their requested meetings with us will be terminated!”
This move could push total U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports to as high as 104%.
China Pushes Back
On Tuesday, China’s Ministry of Commerce strongly criticized the United States. They said, “The US threat to escalate tariffs on China is a mistake on top of a mistake, which once again exposes the blackmail nature of the United States. China will never accept it. If the United States insists on its way, China will fight to the end.”
While Trump’s aggressive trade stance has already triggered a tough response from China, the ripple effects might soon reach Hollywood. For now, Chinese officials are keeping their plans unclear, and Hollywood remains in a nervous wait — caught between two superpowers battling it out over tariffs.
