Experts said that high US tariffs were causing China's economy to suffer. They got it backwards.

High general tariffs on Chinese goods were the highest of all the US trading partners, and retaliatory tariffs by China mirrored American moves, though at lower rates.

Top officials and economists believed that China's economy was suffering, as trade with the United States collapsed.

But supply chain managers in the US were stocking Chinese goods in anticipation that the tariffs would eventually ease, which reduced somewhat the negative effects on the American side.

However, it was the Chinese tariffs against American energy and farm products that have demolished exports of US commodities.

Over the past decade, China has diversified itself away from the United States, and trade with the ASEAN countries, South America, the EU, and Africa has boomed. Trade with those blocs are far more important to China's economy than its losses in US export markets.

Closing scene, Lijiang, Yunnan

Resources and links:

r/infographics, China's Reliance on Exports to the U.S. Has Declined Since 2007
  / chinas_reliance_on_exports_to_the_us_has_d...  

Nikkei, China tariffs will push up US prices in coming weeks, manufacturers warn
https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Trade...

Newsweek, China Reacts to Trump Claims About 'Suffering' Chinese Economy
https://www.newsweek.com/china-reacts...

Forbes, U.S.-China Trade Plummets From 18% To 6%: Trump Tariffs Or Trickery?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrober...

China’s trade growth rebounds after tariff de-escalation, offering a boost to first-half growth
https://think.ing.com/snaps/chinas-tr...

US farmers feel pain as soybean exports to China flatline despite tariff truce
https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-ec...

China’s Growing Influence in Latin America
https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/chin...

China — ASEAN — US Trade 2025: Rebalancing Import, Export and Investment Flows
  / china-asean-us-trade-2025-rebalancing-impo...  

r/economy, Tell me why are these People think China is hurting?
  / tell_me_why_are_these_people_think_china_is  

SCMP, China’s imports of US goods plunge amid trade war, complicating ‘phase 2’ deal
https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-ec...

Statista, China Fills U.S. Exports Gap with ASEAN, EU & Africa
https://www.statista.com/chart/34803/...