\n<\/p>\n
Chinese censors appeared to be carefully curating public discussion about the U.S. tariffs that took effect on Wednesday. They promoted criticism of the United States, while seemingly playing down the specifics of how President Trump\u2019s move would effectively increase import taxes on Chinese goods to 104 percent.<\/p>\n
On Weibo, a popular social media platform, several hashtags that used the number 104 \u2014 such as \u201c104 tariff rate\u201d or \u201cAmerica to impose 104 percent tariff on Chinese goods\u201d \u2014 returned an error message that said: \u201cSorry, the content of this topic is not displayed.\u201d<\/p>\n
But other hashtags that focused more squarely on mocking the United States, or on touting China\u2019s strengths, were allowed to trend \u2014 and in fact were explicitly initiated by state media. \u201cAmerica is fighting a trade war while begging for eggs\u201d was one popular hashtag started by CCTV, China\u2019s state broadcaster. \u201cChina does not provoke trouble but is never afraid of it\u201d was another.<\/p>\n
State media outlets adopted a similarly swaggering tone in their coverage. Several opinion pieces in the People\u2019s Daily, the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s official mouthpiece, declared that China had learned from years of trade frictions to diversify and shore up its economy. \u201cIn Chinese people\u2019s genes, we never fear any risks, challenges, difficulties or contradictions, and can regard all kinds of external pressure as the driving force for our own progress,\u201d one piece said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Other pieces did not directly reference the tariffs but still touted the strengths of the Chinese economy. A front-page article in the People\u2019s Daily laid out steps that the government would take to promote employment for fresh graduates.<\/p>\n Prominent Weibo influencers joined in, saying the trade war was proof that the United States was in decline. Others said it was time for China to flex its strength.<\/p>\n