(Yicai) Feb. 7 -- Even though US President Donald Trump has imposed additional 10 percent tariffs on goods from China, Chinese exporters will continue operating in the North American country.

The director of a Jiangsu province-based machinery manufacturing company told Yicai that its main business focus remains the US market. “We can’t disconnect with our customers, as many of them still require after-sales services.”

Trump signed an executive order imposing 10 percent additional tariffs on imports from China and 25 percent additional tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, effective Feb. 4, under the pretext of “ halting illegal immigration and stopping poisonous fentanyl and other drugs from flowing into the US,” the White House announced on Feb. 1.

Direct exports to the US only account for 5 percent of the above equipment maker’s total now, while indirect exports through Canada and Mexico reached 15 percent, the director noted, adding that the additional 25 percent tariff on Canada and Mexico will directly affect most of its American clients.

After a month-long trip to North America, the director will head to Mexico for a trade show to discuss foreign trade matters with local agents to find suitable solutions.

Jiangsu Xinqian Health Technology plans to expand investment in its production facility in Cambodia to address potential tariff hikes, Du Chuankui, general manager and executive director of the Chinese medical device maker, told Yicai.

The US market accounts for about 45 percent of Xinqian Health’s sales, and 55 percent of the medical devices produced at the Cambodian plant are exported to the US, Du noted.

Challenges have certainly increased, but the US market remains worth pursuing despite the tariff hikes, Ding Yandong, a foreign trade agent based in Zhejiang province, told Yicai. “We must pursue every opportunity, no matter how small it is.”

Ding’s company forayed into the US market last year against the overall trend. As its exports to the US are still limited, the new tariffs are not expected to greatly impact its business.

While continuing to increase its investment in the US market, the firm will also maintain its focus on emerging markets this year, Ding pointed out.

Chinese companies will likely show less enthusiasm for US foreign trade fairs and be more cautious about US market investments, said Zhang Yan, executive director and GM of Century International Exhibition.

This year, Century International plans to expand its trade exhibition presence beyond traditional markets, such as the US, Germany, Japan, and Hong Kong, to address geopolitical changes, Zhang noted.

China’s exports to the US declined to below 15 percent of the total in 2023 from over 20 percent in 2018, while global dependence on Chinese manufacturing increased, said Lian Ping, chief economist at the Guangkai Chief Industry Research Institute and president of the China Chief Economist Forum.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization expects China to account for 45 percent of global manufacturing by 2030, compared with 28 percent in 2023. The shares of the US, Japan, and Germany are projected to fall to 11 percent, 5 percent, and 3 percent, respectively.

Editor: Futura Costaglione