China to limit Hollywood film imports amid tariff dispute with the U.S.
China plans to reduce the number of Hollywood films allowed into the country in response to the United States’ recent decision to impose steep tariffs on Chinese goods, reports a Kazinform News Agency correspondent.
The announcement came from China’s National Film Administration.
“The misguided move by the U.S. government to misuse tariffs on Chinese films will inevitably further reduce domestic audiences’ favorability toward American films. We will follow market principles, respect the choice of viewers, and moderately reduce the number of imported American films. China is the second-largest film market in the world. We have always maintained a high level of openness to the outside world and will continue to introduce outstanding films from more countries to meet market demand.”
Even before the announcement, China limited the number of Hollywood films allowed each year to just ten. The new restriction follows the U.S. move to raise tariffs on Chinese imports to 145% by April 10, a step President Donald Trump justified by accusing China of unfair trade practices and of fueling the U.S. fentanyl crisis. In response to China’s new film import policy, Trump commented, “I’ve heard of worse things.”
Film industry expert Chris Fenton said China’s move is “a very loud way to signal retaliation with nearly zero damage to China.” He noted that Hollywood films make up only about 5% of China’s box office revenue, and U.S. studios receive just a quarter of the ticket sales income from Chinese theaters.
Beyond tariffs, the U.S. is also considering delisting Chinese companies from American stock exchanges. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the U.S. of using tariffs as an economic weapon and violating World Trade Organization rules, stating that such actions seriously harm the global trading system. The ministry also emphasized that China is “not afraid to fight” in this kind of trade conflict.
Earlier, it was reported China will raise tariffs on U.S. imports to 125% starting Saturday, the Customs Tariff Commission announced. The move responds to the U.S. increasing tariffs on Chinese goods to the same level. China called the U.S. action a violation of international trade rules and “unilateral bullying and coercion.”
