As US President Donald Trump’s 104% tariffs on Chinese imports came into force early Wednesday, the fallout was immediate—not just in markets, but across Chinese social media, where satire, nationalism, and fury collided in real time.
On platforms like Weibo, the country’s Twitter-like microblogging site, users responded to the tariff escalation with a mix of ridicule and resolve. As per a Guarding report, top-trending hashtags included “The US begs for eggs while fighting the trade war” and “Trade barriers can’t stop economic globalisation.” The tone was scathing, sarcastic, and unmistakably defiant.
“If you can’t even handle an egg, why are you fighting a trade war,” one user posted, referencing the recent egg shortages in the US that have become unexpected fodder in this high-stakes geopolitical standoff. Others shared viral photos of empty supermarket shelves in American cities. In response, influential Chinese bloggers floated the idea of restricting US poultry and egg imports as retaliation—aiming directly at American farmers, one of Trump’s core political constituencies.

The tariffs, which Trump doubled from 54% to 104% in a matter of days, represent one of the most aggressive trade actions taken by a US president in the modern era. China’s response has been equally fierce, slapping a 34% levy on American goods and vowing further retaliation. But beyond the boardrooms and diplomatic meetings, the war is playing out vividly online—where China’s digital citizens have turned economic confrontation into a cultural event.
Weibo users also took aim at Apple, predicting price hikes on iPhones and vowing to switch to Chinese-made alternatives. “If an iPhone costs double, I’ll happily go back to Huawei,” one user declared. Xiaomi and Huawei, seen as patriotic alternatives, trended briefly as Chinese shoppers imagined a world where American tech is priced out of reach.

The online commentary took a more political turn when a controversial post circulated describing Trump’s strategy as shrewd and suggesting that China should capitulate. Attributed to an unnamed Chinese money manager, the post urged exporting nations to bow to “the world’s largest economy.” Though the author denied writing it, the backlash was swift and ferocious.
“China is the world’s largest producer of industrial products and won’t be controlled by buyers,” prominent commentator Kai Lei, who has 2.5 million followers, wrote in a rebuttal. The original post, and screenshots of it, were quickly censored—a reminder that while Chinese social media often feels chaotic and boisterous, the government still maintains a firm grip on what can be said, and by whom, a Bloomberg report said.

While China’s online space hummed with satire, the real economy was reeling. Trump’s tariff campaign—rolled out first as a 10% baseline on most imports last weekend, then targeted at perceived “bad actors”—has thrown global markets into turmoil.
The S&P 500 has shed nearly $6 trillion in value since the measures were announced, marking the steepest four-day decline since the index’s postwar creation. US stock futures point to a fifth straight day of losses. Asian markets were also hammered Wednesday: Japan’s Nikkei fell more than 3%, and the South Korean won touched a 16-year low.

Beijing’s measured fury, online bluster

In public statements, Beijing has maintained a tone of firm opposition without theatrical language. China’s Commerce Ministry called the tariff hike “blackmail” and pledged to defend the country’s interests. But on Weibo, users were more than happy to supply the drama.
Some called for a complete boycott of American goods. Others cheered potential restrictions on Hollywood films and luxury items. A few nationalistic influencers even suggested retaliatory action against US firms operating in China, echoing past online flareups against brands like Nike and H&M.
The flare-up comes as Trump’s administration attempts to thread a complicated needle: raising pressure on China while signaling openness to deals with other partners. Talks with Japan, South Korea, and Italy are already scheduled. Trump has floated new tariffs on pharmaceuticals and called the current ones “permanent,” even as he insists they are a negotiating tool.
“We have a lot of countries coming in that want to make deals,” he said at a White House event Tuesday.
For now, no direct dialogue with China is scheduled. And in the absence of official diplomacy, China’s online sphere has become a proxy battlefield—one where memes, emojis, and national pride are the dominant weapons.
(With inputs from agencies)