U.S. Retail Giants Defect, Publicly Slap Trump in the Face—Is the Tariff War Collapsing? Bao Dequan # Summary "Walmart and other U.S. retail giants resumed supplies from China immediately after leaving the White House, voluntarily absorbing tariffs—political slogans crumble under survival pressure. Chinese manufacturing isn’t an option; it’s a global supply chain necessity and strategic dependency. Two decades of building a complete industrial ecosystem have given China the leverage to force American corporations to bow." Have you ever seen the world’s largest retailer publicly humiliate a U.S. president? Just after exiting the White House, America’s top three retail giants notified Chinese suppliers to restart shipments, explicitly stating that they would shoulder the tariffs themselves. Who still believes in "decoupling from China"? Even Walmart has switched sides. Rewind a month, and the story was starkly different. In March, Walmart tried to offload Trump’s new tariffs onto Chinese suppliers, demanding a 10% price cut for kitchenware and apparel. Many Chinese factories, already operating on razor-thin margins, faced impossible losses. China’s Ministry of Commerce summoned Walmart, accusing it of market disruption and unfair trade practices. Suppliers retaliated by collectively rejecting orders. By April, the plot twisted. On April 21, CEOs of Walmart, Target, and Home Depot huddled with Trump in a closed-door meeting on tariffs. Days later, Chinese suppliers received orders to resume shipments—with tariffs now borne by U.S. buyers. In just a month, these giants shifted from pressuring suppliers to accepting responsibility. Is this a tactical retreat? No—it’s survival instinct. Trump’s tariff barrage has pushed cumulative rates to 245%, exploding import costs for U.S. firms and draining inventories. Los Angeles Port data shows China-U.S. shipments fell by a third in April. E-commerce prices soared: Amazon hiked prices on 930 items, explicitly tagging tariff costs on product pages. Outraged users blasted, “You preach decoupling, but make us pay the price!” Walmart knows the stakes: without action, its core business crumbles. As one netizen quipped, “Walmart’s smart—whoever bends first eats first.” The truth? Political posturing can’t trump survival. Shifting supply chains? They tried Vietnam, India, Mexico. But Vietnam’s manufacturing scale is one-fifth of Guangdong’s, with logistics efficiency half of China’s. Delivery cycles stretched by three weeks—and parts still sourced from China—made costs rise. So much for “decoupling.” Ironically, while chanting “supply chain diversification,” U.S. firms cling to China. In April, Walmart’s Sam’s Club launched a flagship store in Shenzhen’s Qianhai, expanding suppliers and community shops. Costco is also doubling down in China. American companies now see: this game is unwinnable. Walmart set aside $4.5 billion for tariffs—18% of last year’s profits. Home Depot and Target scrambled with “supply chain acceleration plans” to stockpile goods. Why? Shipping from China to U.S. West Coast takes 25-30 days. Without restocking now, summer sales would face zero inventory. Slow movers risk extinction. So they gamble: restock frantically, betting Trump will slash tariffs by May. Some even lobby to cut rates below 20%. Corporate pragmatism is overriding political theater. Even UPS, the logistics titan, announced its largest-ever restructuring—cutting 20,000 jobs and 73 sites—to trim costs. Meanwhile, China stands firm. While some orders canceled, overall production remains stable and adaptive. This resilience isn’t luck—it’s 20 years of globalization. When a foreign media host claimed, “China will lose 15% of exports to the U.S.,” strategist Gao Zhikai retorted, “We don’t care! China has thrived for 5,000 years—most of which America didn’t exist. If bullied, we’ll thrive another 5,000 without the U.S.!” This isn’t about cheap labor. China’s edge lies in full-industry chains, regional clusters, and unmatched delivery precision. As one insider said, “Chinese manufacturing wins not by price, but by systemic capability. Others draft PowerPoints; we’re already loading ships.” From March’s coercion to April’s surrender, U.S. giants proved: Chinese manufacturing isn’t optional—it’s essential. It’s not just efficiency; it’s the bedrock of global economic stability. China doesn’t win markets with slogans, but with products. Not by confrontation, but by long-term collaboration. This is the unshakable might of Chinese manufacturing—and a reality global firms must accept. In times of chaos, true strength shines. With Walmart defecting, how long can Trump’s tariff war last?