An unimpressed President Donald J. Trump chuckled over Beijing’s latest counter in the tariff standoff between the two nations.
China’s National Film Administration announced on Thursday that the number of American films allowed to be shown within China will be reduced, which comes after Trump said the combined tariff on Chinese goods would rise to 125%.
A reporter asked Trump during a Cabinet meeting, “China retaliated today by reducing the number of American films that can be shown there. What’s your reaction to them now targeting cultural exports from the United States?”
“I think I’ve heard of worse things,” the president replied with a laugh.
Q: “China retaliated today by reducing the number of American films that can be shown there. What’s your reaction to them now targeting cultural exports from the United States?”
President Trump: “I think I’ve heard of worse things.” pic.twitter.com/nFsVxRcEgb
— CSPAN (@cspan) April 10, 2025
China is the world’s second largest film market, according to ABC News, which reports the country “has served as a crucial audience for Hollywood blockbusters, and the number of films imported to China has increased over the years.”
Chris Fenton, author of “Feeding the Dragon: Inside the Trillion Dollar Dilemma Facing Hollywood, the NBA, and American Business,” told Reuters that Hollywood films account for only 5% of overall box office receipts in China’s market, while Hollywood studios receive only 25% of ticket sales in China, which accounts for just half of what other markets pay.
“Such a high-profile punishment of Hollywood is an all-win motion of strength by Beijing that will surely be noticed by Washington,” Fenton said, seemingly unaware of Trump shrugging off the move.
The response online was that Trump just may be making movies great again — here’s a quick sampling from the social media platform X:
Movies took a major nosedive in quality when they started worrying about the Chinese market. This is a great first step.
— Brett (@blw1138) April 10, 2025
What do we have to do to get our theaters to show less US films? They suck and are just agenda pushers with horrible acting and repeats of old stuff with the dust blown off and the names changed. I’d rather have foreign films. Some also push agendas but the acting is better and…
— Lee3 (@Lee_Lichterman) April 10, 2025
Hollywood could have huge American audiences if they made films that speak to the heart and soul and have intelligent plots. What about 12 Angry Men (Fonda), Fury ( Spencer Tracy), Braveheart, etc There are intelligent comedies, too. But they prefer depressing, dystopian films…
— Luana Hess (@HessLuana) April 11, 2025
I’m not terribly worried about Hollywood losing out, China is only doing that to get Hollywood to start speaking up on behalf of China, They have been sucking the T*T for so long so they can access the Chinese film market for so many years
— The Salty Chef (@TheSaltyChef007) April 10, 2025
China is going to be so mad they are going to miss the new Snow White movie. So mad
— L.W. Wright (@LWWright34) April 10, 2025
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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