A survey published on Thursday by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in China showed that more than half of the American businesses in Beijing, the highest level in five years, raised concerns over the deteriorating bilateral relationship between the world’s two economic superpowers.
The survey was released just days after President Donald Trump took office for his second term with the looming prospect of heightened trade tariffs on Chinese imports.
During his first presidential term, there was a notable US-China trade war and a noticeable deterioration in diplomatic relations between the two nations, a situation that did not see significant improvement during President Joe Biden’s term.
Alvin Liu, the chair of AmCham China, emphasized the importance of maintaining a stable and productive relationship built on economic and trade connections, highlighting its significance not only for the mutual prosperity of both nations but also for global economic stability.
368 AmCham China member companies participated in the survey that was completed between October and November, partly after the presidential election on November 5, 2024, with major concerns being geopolitical tensions, policy uncertainties, and trade disputes.
On Tuesday, Trump said that his team was discussing a 10% tariff on Chinese imports that could be levied from February 1, in part due to China’s involvement in the fentanyl global supply chain.
Despite nearly half of respondents still considering China a top-three global investment priority, the proportion of companies no longer preferring China has doubled to 21% compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Additionally, around one-third of businesses report unfair treatment in China, particularly in market access and public procurement.
