WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:08.720 China has a strategy to counter Trump’s  tariffs, but will it be enough to beat the US? 00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:10.880 Welcome to China Uncensored. I’m Chris Chappell. 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:17.120 YouTube has been trying to suppress China  Uncensored and promote pro-CCP content.   00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:23.280 But we’re fighting back—and winning.  Join me in Operation Honey Pot Phase 3,   00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:27.360 leave a honey pot comment to show  YouTube we’ve got engagement,   00:00:27.360 --> 00:00:32.600 and subscribe to our free newsletter to  subvert YouTube censorship. The link is below. 00:00:32.600 --> 00:00:34.560 And now, on with the show! 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:40.240 The Chinese Communist Party is being backed into  a corner by US President Donald Trump’s tariffs,   00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:46.400 even if they’re only 145 percent , not  400 percent as Mr. Wonderful would like, 00:00:46.400 --> 00:00:53.520 or 1776 percent as some people on  the internet are clamoring for. 00:00:55.520 --> 00:01:00.640 But China is fighting back—the only  way they know how! With stubbornness   00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:06.800 and skullduggery. Skullduggery is not a word  that gets used enough in modern parlance.  00:01:06.800 --> 00:01:09.200 Of course, there are the retaliatory tariffs… 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:12.000 And cutting off the US from critical exports. 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:14.080 But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. 00:01:14.080 --> 00:01:18.800 Here are four more crazy slash  utterly predictable ways China   00:01:18.800 --> 00:01:21.440 is fighting back against Trump’s tariffs. 00:01:21.440 --> 00:01:25.600 Number 1: diplomacy warfare. 00:01:27.440 --> 00:01:31.120 This week, Chinese leader Xi  Jinping is visiting Southeast Asia. 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:38.800 You mean the CCP is actually entering another  country’s territory with consent for a change?  00:01:38.800 --> 00:01:44.800 There’s a reason why he chose that  as his *first* overseas trip in 2025. 00:01:44.800 --> 00:01:49.120 Tons of Chinese investors and  manufacturers have moved there. 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:54.880 And China has relied on them as shipping  stopover points to get goods around US   00:01:54.880 --> 00:01:59.760 tariffs and sanctions. What? This ship  totally came from Vietnam, not China! 00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:05.120 Trump knows this, which is why he initially  threatened high tariffs on Southeast Asia. 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:09.600 Vietnam’s responding to this by eyeing  crackdowns on some Chinese trade. 00:02:09.600 --> 00:02:12.240 That’s something China wants  to stop from happening,   00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:15.600 which is why Xi made Vietnam his first stop. 00:02:15.600 --> 00:02:19.040 While there, Xi signed a  bunch of economic agreements. 00:02:19.040 --> 00:02:24.320 And called for China and Vietnam to deepen  building a community with a shared future, 00:02:24.320 --> 00:02:29.360 And they might have a shared future.  This is incredibly risky for Vietnam.  00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:33.600 Trump paused tariffs on Vietnam for  90 days. If after that time is up,   00:02:33.600 --> 00:02:39.840 Trump feels Vietnam is capitulating to China,  those tariffs could go back in full force. 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:45.520 That should also be the concern for  Xi’s next stop—Malaysia and Cambodia. 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:47.600 Malaysia is especially important. 00:02:47.600 --> 00:02:50.080 It’s this year’s ASEAN chair. 00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:57.600 And it’s set to host the first ever Asean-Gulf  Cooperation Council Summit, with China invited. 00:02:57.600 --> 00:03:02.480 Ooh, never invite the CCP. They’re  like vampires. Once you let them in,   00:03:02.480 --> 00:03:07.360 they’ll suck you dry. And it’s likely they’ll  claim your home was always a part of China. 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:12.080 While these tours are happening, Chinese  state run media is churning out propaganda  00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:15.280 Accusing the US of unilateral bullying. 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:18.640 While China is as “A reliable partner.” 00:03:18.640 --> 00:03:22.640 Well, they certainly are reliable,  if by that you mean predictable. 00:03:22.640 --> 00:03:27.520 Yup, you can always rely on China  to be utterly, utterly predictable. 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:29.600 China’s eyes aren’t just on Southeast Asia. 00:03:29.600 --> 00:03:33.760 It’s also trying to woo  Europeans with similar messages, 00:03:33.760 --> 00:03:39.040 Like that China and the EU should  jointly resist “unilateral bullying”...  00:03:39.040 --> 00:03:44.160 And work together to safeguard  global trade rules and justice. 00:03:44.160 --> 00:03:48.320 In other words, the global trade  system the CCP has weaponized. 00:03:48.320 --> 00:03:52.240 Unfortunately, some in Europe are  biting. Which once again proves that   00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:56.320 just because someone has a European  accent doesn’t mean they’re smart. 00:03:56.320 --> 00:04:01.280 Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is one  of them. He met with Xi Jinping in Beijing… 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:03.920 And is pushing the EU closer to China. 00:04:03.920 --> 00:04:05.520 And it’s not just Spain. 00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:10.720 The French foreign minister is also  batting for a “Franco-Chinese partnership”…  00:04:10.720 --> 00:04:14.000 And China and Ireland are seeking stronger ties. 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:16.240 Which makes sense if you  think about it. After all,   00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:22.640 just look at all that China  has to offer the western world! 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:28.080 Yeah, that’s kind of a problem. 00:04:28.080 --> 00:04:35.200 Which is why the CCP has unleashed an army  of China-simp influencers upon the internet.  00:04:35.200 --> 00:04:37.600 That brings me to the next strategy 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:40.880 Number 2: Psychological Warfare 00:04:40.880 --> 00:04:44.240 To bolster Xi’s chances of  success in Southeast Asia,   00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:50.080 Pro-CCP influencers have been promoting  how much Southeast Asians love China, 00:04:50.080 --> 00:04:53.040 Touting how Chinese brands  are everywhere in Malaysia… 00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:59.280 And how people from Malaysia, Vietnam, and  Laos just love Chinese movies and TV shows. 00:04:59.280 --> 00:05:01.840 Yes, everyone loves China.  00:05:01.840 --> 00:05:07.840 Especially the Philippines. Look at those skyscrapers. And high speed trains. 00:05:07.840 --> 00:05:13.360 But the message that’s also being pushed  is that China is more powerful than the US,   00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:17.760 that tariffs against it are  pointless and only hurt the US. 00:05:17.760 --> 00:05:22.880 The conclusion: China is  unstoppable. It already won.  00:05:22.880 --> 00:05:27.040 China remains robust despite trade restrictions. 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:32.960 Meanwhile, Americans are needlessly  suffering a war they already lost.  00:05:32.960 --> 00:05:35.520 “In this tariff war, the only people   00:05:35.520 --> 00:05:38.880 losing is American people.” , “When it comes to the USA,   00:05:38.880 --> 00:05:44.240 we have never had the upper hand over China. “And just when Trump thought he was going to flex   00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:50.640 up on China with his tariffs and trade war, they  bitch-slapped us right back with transparency.”  00:05:50.640 --> 00:05:56.720 “The actual machinery to manufacture at the  quality that we need primarily exists in China.”  00:05:56.720 --> 00:06:02.400 “So you can probably see why a fifty percent  or even a two or three hundred percent tariff   00:06:02.400 --> 00:06:08.080 would still not make me or almost any other  business move to American manufacturing   00:06:08.080 --> 00:06:12.560 for these sort of products. Because it  still doesn’t make sense financially.” 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:17.040 So what are you waiting for? Come to China!  Where you can get cheap Chinese crap… 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:18.720 …and hopefully not find yourself being   00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:22.880 kidnapped for hostage diplomacy! It’s  slightly cheaper, so it’s worth it! 00:06:22.880 --> 00:06:27.440 But when warping the minds of your  enemy isn’t enough, the CCP resorts to.. 00:06:27.440 --> 00:06:30.240 Number 3: Outright Deceit 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:35.120 Chinese companies are using outright  lies and deception to get around tariffs. 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:38.800 Like I mentioned earlier, Trump is  cracking down on the way China uses   00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:42.560 third-party countries to escape  tariffs and sanctions. He’s also   00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:46.320 cracking down on other loopholes like  the de minimis exception for China, 00:06:46.320 --> 00:06:51.440 which allowed shipments of cheap  Chinese crap to come in duty-free. 00:06:51.440 --> 00:06:57.680 But Nikkei Asia reports that China’s logistics  sector is challenging Trump’s tariff enforcers… 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:00.880 by helping merchants sidestep duties. 00:07:00.880 --> 00:07:05.760 They’re offering what’s known as “double  clearance and tax inclusive services”. 00:07:05.760 --> 00:07:07.120 Here’s how it works. 00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:09.520 Say you’re selling some Chinese honey. 00:07:09.520 --> 00:07:12.480 A Chinese logistical provider will offer to handle   00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:17.680 both export clearance in China  and import clearance in the US.   00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:23.120 This includes goods declarations and paying  import duties, as well as other fees. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:29.040 That Chinese logistical provider will do what’s  called double invoicing. The logistical provider   00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:36.080 shows one invoice to US customs authorities that  undervalues the value of the honey, which leads to   00:07:36.080 --> 00:07:43.280 reduced duties. Meanwhile, the buyers and sellers  of that honey use a second invoice that reflects   00:07:43.280 --> 00:07:50.320 the true transaction value. They categorize that  invoice under a service not subject to tariffs… 00:07:50.320 --> 00:07:52.560 …such as marketing. 00:07:52.560 --> 00:07:57.280 Logistics providers are also outright  lying in their invoices and falsifying   00:07:57.280 --> 00:08:00.400 customs entry summaries to reduce tariffs owed. 00:08:00.400 --> 00:08:03.840 So even with tariffs as high as 145 percent,  00:08:03.840 --> 00:08:06.480 or 1776 percent, 00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:10.560 Chinese manufacturers would only  need to pay a little more in duties. 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:15.040 Meanwhile, “the logistics companies profit  by pocketing the difference between what   00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:19.320 they charge the manufacturers to cover  customs and what they actually pay.” 00:08:19.320 --> 00:08:25.040 And if you’re wondering why China is going  to such complex, convoluted lengths to   00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:31.520 avoid these tariffs instead of simply not  being as awful anymore… great question! 00:08:31.520 --> 00:08:34.480 So that takes care of China’s international image 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:36.480 and sidestepping the tariffs, 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:38.800 but what about those people at home who don’t much   00:08:38.800 --> 00:08:43.920 care for the way the CCP is handling  the situation? Those people do exist. 00:08:43.920 --> 00:08:47.680 Because the Chinese people aren’t  a homogenous blob that believes   00:08:47.680 --> 00:08:53.120 everything they’re told to believe  by the CCP. That’s the pro-CCP NPCs. 00:08:53.120 --> 00:08:55.280 Which is why the last strategy is: 00:08:55.280 --> 00:08:57.840 Number four: censorship! 00:08:57.840 --> 00:09:03.560 Former deputy director of the Chinese Academy of  Social Sciences’ Public Policy Research Center He   00:09:03.560 --> 00:09:09.600 Bin criticized China’s tariffs on Chinese social  media, saying they were “completely misguided”. 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:11.040 But he didn’t stop there. 00:09:11.040 --> 00:09:17.200 He also said, “It’s like saying, ‘If you  dare hit your wife, I’ll hit my wife.’” 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:22.560 Of course, China’s no stranger to being an  abusive spouse even to its own people. So that   00:09:22.560 --> 00:09:26.960 analogy doesn’t really work because China  sees it and thinks, “Challenge accepted!” 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:32.320 He Bin also said, “The US raising tariffs  is like lifting a rock only to drop it on   00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:35.920 its own feet. We shouldn’t be  doing the same to ourselves.” 00:09:35.920 --> 00:09:39.280 China not doing something  stupid and self-destructive   00:09:39.280 --> 00:09:42.640 challenge? Difficulty: impossible. 00:09:42.640 --> 00:09:46.480 To no one’s surprise, the Public Policy  Research Center was officially scrapped. 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:47.920 I don’t know if I want to know what’s going   00:09:47.920 --> 00:09:52.240 to happen to He Bin. He’ll  probably wind up in a bin.   00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:55.920 Meanwhile, China’s censoring  tariff-related posts on social media.  00:09:55.920 --> 00:10:01.000 They’ve been censoring hashtags and searches for  words like “tariff” and “104” back when Trump’s   00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:05.040 tariffs on Chinese goods were 104 percent. Meanwhile, Chinese state-run media is   00:10:05.040 --> 00:10:09.760 pushing out local propaganda about  how much tariffs are hurting the US, 00:10:09.760 --> 00:10:16.080 With state-media initiated hashtags like, “America  is fighting a trade war while begging for eggs” 00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:20.640 And “China does not provoke  trouble but is never afraid of it” 00:10:20.640 --> 00:10:27.520 China doesn’t provoke trouble? You know what  clip I’m about to show *again*, don’t ya? 00:10:27.520 --> 00:10:28.960 This has to be a record. 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:34.240 Chinese media keeps insisting, both in print  and on social media, that China is strong,   00:10:34.240 --> 00:10:40.000 strong strong. Meanwhile, anything showing the  negative impacts of Trump’s tariffs on China is   00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:46.000 absolutely taboo on Chinese social media, because  then that would show that the CCP has weaknesses. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:50.000 And weakness is not something  the CCP wants to ever show.   00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:52.800 They want to show strength everywhere they go, 00:10:52.800 --> 00:10:57.360 Whether they’re invited or not. Yup, officially  broke the record showing these clips. 00:10:57.360 --> 00:11:01.280 On that note, here’s something that’ll  make the CCP weak to its knees! 00:11:01.280 --> 00:11:05.760 Operation Honey Pot Phase 3. We have a brand new,   00:11:05.760 --> 00:11:10.400 free newsletter that we’re using to notify  you of new episodes because you’ve told us   00:11:10.400 --> 00:11:15.440 YouTube won’t notify you, even if you’re  subscribed and have notifications on. 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:18.080 There are also a lot of fun  behind-the-scenes glimpses. You can   00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:21.040 sign up at https://chinauncensored.substack.com 00:11:21.040 --> 00:11:26.080 And please, keep those honey pot emojis coming.  I love seeing those, and I do read your comments,   00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:30.560 even if I don’t have time to respond to everyone.  It has meant a lot to me in these tough times. 00:11:30.560 --> 00:11:33.120 Once again, I’m Chris Chappell. See you next time.