United States President, Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing this month is ‘none of her business’, says Chinese salesperson Yu Yangxian, even though a large share of the electric lockers and vending machines sold by her company are destined for the United States.
“As long as the United States continues to trade, it will have to do business with us,” said Yu, whose company uses a strategy of partially passing on added costs to US consumers. “China’s supply chains and the product quality are strong.”
While tariffs still matter, she said the company emerged from a turbulent 2025, when levies briefly rose to triple-digits, with its US client base largely intact and, like many Chinese exporters, gaining new markets globally.
That shows how competitive and resilient Chinese manufacturing has become, Yu added, by following a long-time national strategy of self-sufficiency to build nearly complete domestic supply chains across industries.
“Whether he comes to negotiate or to declare a fight, it does not pose a major threat to us,” she added, speaking of Trump.
Chinese exporters ‘numb’ to US threats
Companies no longer overreact to Trump’s moves, having become “numb” to his threats, said Ren Yanlin, an executive at a Chinese firm dealing with overseas factory projects.
“The mindset is that it doesn’t matter anymore.”
Eric Zheng, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in the commercial hub of Shanghai, said the association’s nearly 3,000 members had limited expectations of what Trump can achieve on his trip, but drew consolation from the prospect of dialog.
They would welcome an extended truce on tariffs and export curbs, potentially with some Chinese purchase commitments in areas such as Boeing aricraft, soybeans, or US energy, he said.
But few counted on lasting relief.
“A truce is great, better than a trade war, but a truce is temporary,” said Zheng.
“We need some certainty. Companies need to plan for the long term, not the next 90 days, not even six months. It has to be several years.”
US senators urge stability, cooperation between US, China
Ahead of Trump’s visit, A delegation of United States senators visiting Beijing has called for stability and peaceful cooperation between the two countries.
“I strongly believe that we want to de-escalate, not decouple. We want stability, we want mutual respect,” Senator Steve Daines, who is leading the bipartisan delegation, said in opening remarks at a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
The Republican senator said he hopes the leaders’ meeting would result in Boeing jet orders, even as he warned of both countries facing trade issues.
“It’s been about nine years since there was a purchase made of Boeing aircraft here,” he said, according to a media pool report.
China maneuvering over Taiwan issue?
Another report suggested China may try some “maneuvering” over the Taiwan issue, in its discussions with Trump, but the US has reaffirmed its policy on the island has not changed, a top Taiwanese intelligence official said on Thursday.
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and regularly describes it as the most sensitive and important issue in its relations with Washington. Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
Taipei will be watching for any sign that Trump, who has unnerved partners with his transactional approach to alliances, could soften or reframe longstanding US policy on Taiwan in return for China buying American aircraft or agricultural goods and easing economic pressures.
Speaking to reporters at parliament in Taipei, National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen said the key focus of Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping was likely to be management of their issues, “not fundamental problem-solving.”
“As for the Taiwan issue, I believe the Chinese communists may attempt some maneuvering during the talks,” Tsai said.
“However, on this point, the United States has continuously reaffirmed through both public and private channels that its Taiwan policy has not changed.”
Taiwan is likely to be a topic of conversation between Trump and Xi, but both countries understand it is in neither of their interests to see any “destabilizing events” occur with regards to Taiwan, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this week.
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