China’s economy, long hailed by globalists and smug pundits as the unstoppable machine of the 21st century, is starting to cough and sputter like a used-up steam engine. And guess what’s behind the smoke? Tariffs. Not just any tariffs, but the Trump-era tariffs that were supposed to send us spiraling into economic doom—according to the media chorus, anyway.
Turns out, they might be doing something far more productive: rattling the cage of the world’s biggest authoritarian manufacturer and triggering worker protests in a country that prides itself on “stability.”
Let’s set the stage. In China, factories aren’t just slowing down—they’re folding. Closing shop. Ghosting their workers. And those workers? Well, they’re not exactly thrilled about being left in the dust. Protests are popping up like weeds across the country as laid-off employees demand back pay and reemployment.
That’s right—Chinese citizens, who aren’t exactly encouraged to voice dissent, are risking quite a bit by hitting the streets. In a communist regime where silence is considered golden (and enforced), that’s no small development.
RIOTS & PROTESTS HAVE ERUPTED ALL OVER CHINA…
MANY WORKERS ARE NOT GETTING PAID, LAYOFFS, FACTORIES CLOSING, BACKPAY PROTESTS +
…ALL BECAUSE OF WEAK CHINA LEADERS REACTING…
…TO TRUMP’S FAIR RECIPROCAL TARIFFS!
(see LINKS, VIDEO & COMMENTS below) https://t.co/d5YjmmgMjQ pic.twitter.com/Cox6ne56tu
— Cordell Baker (@CordellBaker12) May 3, 2025
What’s got Beijing sweating bullets? President Trump’s 145% tariffs on Chinese imports. Yes, those tariffs that were supposed to backfire on us like a misfiring musket. The media assured us we’d be the ones begging for a trade deal, but here we are, watching Chinese industry leaders bite their nails down to the quick while pleading with suppliers to halt production. “Extremely anxious,” says one industry leader. Let’s go ahead and translate that from diplomatic spin: they’re panicking.
We’re not talking about a few factory hiccups, either. According to Goldman Sachs (hardly a right-wing megaphone), at least 16 million jobs across China are on the chopping block. That’s a mind-boggling figure—imagine if 16 million Americans were told to go home without pay.
The protests would be deafening. And in China, where worker protections are somewhere between nonexistent and laughable, it’s even more explosive. These workers don’t have unemployment insurance. They don’t have unions fighting for severance. They have their fists, their signs, and their desperation.
Consider this little gem: Construction workers in Tongliao recently threatened to throw themselves off buildings if they didn’t receive their wages. And they weren’t bluffing. Meanwhile, hundreds went on strike in Hunan after a sporting goods factory closed its doors with zero notice or compensation. In a country that crushes dissent before breakfast, these aren’t just protests—they’re warning shots.
Now, let’s not pretend America came through this completely unscathed. Sure, some U.S. businesses have taken hits. But there’s a difference between weathering a storm and being the storm’s epicenter. Our economy is still bigger, stronger, and backed by institutions that (mostly) work. We’ve got courts, rights, and—most importantly—a population that isn’t afraid to throw out a bad leader every few years. China? Not so much.
And here’s the kicker: Every regime, even the iron-fisted ones, lives and dies by the mood of the masses. No matter how thick the walls or how many surveillance cameras you install, when enough peasants get mad enough, things start to unravel. Chairman Xi may have consolidated power like an old-school emperor, but even emperors have to eat humble pie when the countryside gets restless. Will he admit defeat? Not in so many words. But when the suits in Beijing start whispering about making concessions, calling trade talks, and “saving face,” you’ll know exactly what’s happening.
The MSM won’t tell you that we are winning the tariff war with China. We are winning and winning big. Riots and protests have erupted all over China. Trumps tariffs are absolutely eviscerating China’s economy. China depends on and needs the economy of the Unites States. They are… pic.twitter.com/8mqDkiB8un
— SonnyBoy🇺🇸 (@gotrice2024) May 3, 2025
Trump wasn’t bluffing. China does need us more than we need them. We’ve got leverage, and we should keep using it. Call it tough love, call it economic strategy—but whatever you do, don’t call it failure. The first cracks are already showing. And if I had to place a bet, I’d say China blinks first.
