China to Reduce Hollywood Movie Imports Amid Trade War with the US

China has officially announced that it will “significantly reduce” the number of American films imported amid escalating trade tensions with the U.S. Last week, Donald Trump stated that tariffs on Chinese imports would rise to 125%, accusing China of showing ‘disrespect’ in global markets. Even before Trump’s latest tariff increase, China’s National Film Administration was reportedly considering a complete ban on all Hollywood films as retaliation for the extreme tariffs imposed by the U.S. president. In an official statement, China noted that “the wrong move by the U.S. government abusing tariffs against China will inevitably further decrease local preference for American films.” The statement added, “We will follow market rules, respect audience choice, and moderately reduce the number of imported American films.” As the world’s second-largest film market, China emphasized its commitment to openness but promised to present more excellent films from around the globe to meet market demands. During a press conference, Trump responded to China’s decision by saying, “I’ve heard worse things,” laughing. Despite declining popularity in recent years, according to The Hollywood Reporter, several major films have still found success in China. In 2022, James Cameron’s highly anticipated sequel ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ grossed $246 million at the Chinese box office, while the new Minecraft movie debuted with $14.7 million on its opening weekend.