Who’s at risk? US companies facing the biggest hit from China tariffs

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump raised the tariff on Chinese imports to 125% on Wednesday, hours after China boosted the duty on American goods to 84% in an escalating battle that threatens to disrupt trade between the world's two largest economies.

Citing a lack of respect, Trump set China apart from other countries. He said in a social media post that he is pausing his so-called "reciprocal tariffs" on many other trading partners because they had responded by reaching out for talks rather than retaliating.

The tit-for-tat hikes between the U.S. and China are the latest in an ongoing trade war that threatens to raise prices for consumers in America and derail China’s attempts to reinvigorate its sluggish economy. The response from the Chinese government signals its determination not to bend to Trump’s pressure, despite the risks.

"If the U.S. insists on further escalating its economic and trade restrictions, China has the firm will and abundant means to take necessary countermeasures and fight to the end," China's Ministry of Commerce said before announcing its latest tariff hike.

RELATED: Tariff pause live updates: Trump hikes China tariffs further, lowers all others

Companies that could be hit hardest with the tariff on China

Dig deeper:

Apple

Apple’s iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks are largely manufactured in Asia, with final assembly concentrated in China and increasingly in India and Vietnam. With Trump’s new tariffs, the cost of bringing iPhones into the U.S. just skyrocketed.

In February 2025, Apple announced a $500 billion investment in the U.S. over four years, including the construction of a new server factory in Houston, expected to open in 2026 and create thousands of jobs. The plant will support Apple’s AI infrastructure but will not immediately offset iPhone production needs.

Amazon 

According to Bloomberg, Amazon canceled many orders from suppliers in China and Southeast Asia.

Boeing

According to Reuters, the tariff could make Boeing airplanes more expensive than its  rivals Airbus and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China. 

RELATED: Stocks soar as Trump announces 90-day tariff pause—China excluded; Dow jumps 2,000 points

Shein, Temu 

China-founded Shein and Temu have gained global popularity by offering a quickly updated assortment of ultra-inexpensive clothes, accessories, gifts and gadgets shipped mostly from China, allowing the two e-commerce companies to compete on the home turf of American companies.

But products could cost more with newly imposed tariffs. 

Farm equipment 

Soybean and sorghum farmers have particular reason to worry because at least half of those crops are exported and China has long been the biggest buyer. China has also bought a lot of American corn, beef, chicken and other crops as part of spending $24.65 billion on U.S. agricultural products last year. Now with the tariffs, all of those products will be significantly more expensive in China.

A vendor picks up a 100 yuan note above a newspaper featuring a photo of US president-elect Donald Trump, at a news stand in Beijing on November 10, 2016. (Photo by GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images)

Expand

One of the biggest long-term concerns is that American farmers and ranchers will lose market share as China turns to Brazil and other countries to buy the soybeans, beef, chicken and other crops it consumes. China will buy lots of sorghum because it is distilled into the drink baijiu that is as popular there as whiskey is in the United States, but they will get it from other countries.