DeepSeek's Rise: Chinese Netizens React

My WashPost comment, DeepSeek unburdened by what has been, Chinese Netizens's fun experimentations with DeepSeek

For Chinese exporters, big and small, last week was mostly chaos and confusion.

First, President Trump added a 10% tariff on Chinese goods and closed the de minimis loophole; then USPS abruptly announced it was blocking all packages in China but quickly reversed the decision; Beijing swiftly hit back with retaliatory tariffs and launched a dispute with WTO.

As I shared with The Washington Post's Katrina Northrop, these actions mark an inflection point. The U.S. government is no longer just talking about restricting Chinese e-commerce—it’s pulling levers that fundamentally reshape the market.

This isn't just about tariffs—it’s about systematically increasing the cost of doing business for players like Shein and Temu while making compliance more burdensome.

Chinese suppliers will feel this immediately, and margins will be further squeezed. Many will try to shift distribution to other markets. However, the reality is that the U.S. remains the largest consumer economy, and any restrictions o…