American consumers are on the cusp of tough choices because of President Donald Trump’s trade war. Ships now pulling into US harbors from China are the first to be subject to the massive tariffs that America is imposing on most Chinese imports. Many of them are half full. That means, in a matter of weeks, consumers will face higher prices and shortages of certain items. Imports from China have fallen dramatically since Trump imposed steep tariffs – particularly since last month, when the tit-for-tat trade war sent the tariff on most Chinese goods up to 145%. “This week, we’re down about 35% compared to the same time last year, and these cargo ships coming in are the first ones to be attached to the tariffs that were levied against China and other locations last month,” Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, told CNN Tuesday. “That’s why the cargo volume is so light.” The drop-off in imports from China on the boats now coming into port is more than 50%, Seroka said. Many importers have canceled previous orders because US businesses aren’t interested in paying the steep tariff, which can more than double the price of Chinese goods. The Port of LA had expected 80 ships to arrive in May, but 20% of those have been canceled, Seroka said. Customers have already canceled 13 sailings for June. Shortages and price hikes Rather than import goods to the United States, some retailers are choosing to pay to store their products in Chinese warehouses because it’s cheaper than paying the tariff, according to Ryan Petersen, CEO of Flexport, a logistics and freight forwarding broker. With importers and retailers unwilling to pay the steep cost, deliveries could continue to fall – as much as 60%, said Petersen. Consumers will start to notice very soon.
下次真不用的时候来update一下。