Some Chinese provinces have recorded sharp drops in US exports amid the trade war. Others have seen shipments soar as much as 265%
But US tariffs are not affecting China equally. The country is made up of more than 30 provincial-level regions, and there is a wide divergence between these areas both in terms of their exposure to the US market and the effect of the trade war.
This explainer provides a regional-level overview of China’s response to US tariffs – showing which regions are most vulnerable and how local governments and companies are adapting. It is based on calculations and research by economists at CIB Research, a research institute affiliated with the Fujian-based Industrial Bank.
China’s export hubs on the country’s eastern coastline dominate trade with the United States. Six coastal regions – Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Shandong and Fujian – together accounted for nearly 80 per cent of China’s exports to the US in value terms during the first seven months of 2025, according to CIB Research.
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