China’s retaliatory tariffs on US goods went into effect Monday as trade tensions between the United States and China ratchet up.
Last week, Beijing announced it would counter the Trump administration’s 10% across-the-board tariffs with its own tariffs. These include 15% tariffs on certain US energy exports, including coal and liquefied natural gas, and 10% tariffs on crude oil, farm machinery, and other manufactured products.
As the Brookings Institution highlights, how China’s tariffs play out across the country varies by region, and they will potentially affect not only consumer prices but also employment trends (see graphic below).
Overall, the industries targeted by Chinese tariffs account for 400,000 to 700,000 jobs in the US, the Brookings report said.
Counties in North Dakota, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Alabama, and West Virginia face a disproportionate impact from China’s countermeasures due to their high exposure to the energy and manufacturing sectors.
Sargent County, N.D., which has a large manufacturing presence, potentially faces the greatest exposure to China tariffs, as 59% of employment in that county is in industries targeted by China’s duties.