Donald Trump expected in China at the end of the week, against the backdrop of trade tensions between Beijing and Washington. But in Yiwu, a gigantic Chinese export platform, many traders say they have already learned to live without the American market. After years of trade war, they turned to Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. And today, some are more worried about conflicts in the Middle East than American tariffs.
From our special shipping to Yiwu,Cléa Broadhurst, et Lei Yang
In the aisles of the world’s largest wholesale market, Yiwu traders all tell the same thing: the trade war launched by Donald Trump transformed their activities. Li Ye, vice president of the Yiwu Chamber of Commerce, explains the consequences of these tensions: “ Since the trade war, these exports have become difficult, so we have shifted to other markets. At one point, customs duties reached 100%, reducing orders to zero. »
For many local businesses, United States remain a profitable market. But after several years of commercial tensions, many of them began to diversify their outlets. This is confirmed by Li Tenghui, wholesale trader: “Many customers then canceled their orders or abandoned the goods. We had to sell off stocks through various channels, including end-of-series, or re-export to other countries. Today, many colleagues in Yiwu no longer consider the United States as a main market. They started to reorient themselves a long time ago. »
Now, Africa, the Middle East and even Central Asia are taking a growing place in Yiwu’s exports. When trade routes close, traders look for other solutions, as Li Ye explains: “ Before, we could sell things directly, without detours. There, that no longer happens. So I take a few detours. The Chinese have a great capacity to know how to take other paths, if we are given the opportunity to do so. »
But today, it is especially the tensions in the Middle East that worry traders, like Li Tenghui: “ The Middle East represents 25 to 30% of our turnover. It’s not just about rising prices or tariffs: customers simply can’t buy anymore. Ships cannot dock, they dare not dock. »
Même found out that Yu Jiani, seller of Halloween decorations: « The war especially affects our raw materials. Oil is unstable, so is fabric. Delivery times for raw materials have increased from a week to a month, and prices have increased significantly. Some materials increased by around 10%. »
However, in the market aisles, foreign buyers continue to flock. Among them, Ibrahim, a Jordanian trader who has been coming to Yiwu for twenty years to get his supplies. I think no country is worth it Chine. In China, you can find everything you want. If I can’t go to China, I might end my business “, he confides.
In Yiwu, despite trade wars and regional conflicts, many remain convinced that it will continue to go through China to keep world trade moving.
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