Beijing: Chinese shoppers and vendors appeared largely unfazed on Monday as new tariffs on US pantry staples came into effect, despite the ongoing trade tensions between China and the United States. The additional levies of 10 to 15 percent target a range of American agricultural products, including fruit, vegetables, meat, grains, and cotton. The tariffs were imposed after US President Donald Trump raised tariffs on all Chinese goods to 20 percent last week.

Vendors Unconcerned, Domestic Goods Step In
At a bustling downtown Beijing market, vendors showed little concern over the rising prices that could result from the new levies. "If prices go up, folks won't eat imported stuff," said Shi, a 31-year-old fruit vendor. He noted that domestic products already sell better, citing their freshness as a key advantage over imports. Shi, who sells fruit from around the world—including Thailand and Malaysia—said he plans to scale back his offerings of US produce.

Shoppers Prioritize Quality Over Origin
Many shoppers echoed Shi’s pragmatic stance. He Yulian, a 65-year-old visitor from Shanxi, said she was indifferent about the trade war and focused solely on quality. "For regular folks, if we can tell something is imported from the United States, we can try to buy less of it—or not at all," she said. However, she admitted that for certain goods, such as milk and infant formula, she preferred imported products over Chinese-made versions, citing lingering concerns about domestic food safety.

Lingering Distrust After Food Scandals
Chinese consumers have long memories of food safety scandals, including the 2008 melamine milk crisis that killed six infants and sickened hundreds of thousands more. Although the government has tightened food safety regulations since then, incidents such as the 2022 hygiene violations at pork giant Henan Shuanghui have kept public distrust alive. "It's not that we're not patriotic," He Yulian explained, "It's because we have a responsibility to ourselves."

Short-Term Impact on Households
Despite the tariffs, vendors like Shi believe the trade war will ultimately strengthen China's domestic industries. "Domestic goods will become more powerful," he said. Still, he acknowledged that in the short term, household budgets would feel the pinch. "You still need to buy what you need at home," Shi said. "Indeed, it's regular people who suffer the most."

The new Chinese tariffs apply from Monday, although they exclude goods that left their ports before March 10—provided they arrive in China by April 12. As the trade battle escalates, consumers and sellers in China are adapting with cautious optimism and an eye on local alternatives.