President Donald Trump responded to China’s decision to limit American film imports amid an escalating trade battle: “I think I’ve heard of worse things,” he said at a Cabinet meeting, to chuckles from his cabinet secretaries surrounding him.
The China Film Administration said that it will reduce the number of films allowed into the country, confirming rumors this week as the U.S. and China raised tariffs on each other.
“The wrong action of the U.S. government to abuse tariffs on China will inevitably further reduce the domestic audience’s favorability towards American films,” the China Film Administration said in a statement. “We will follow the market rules, respect the audience’s choice, and moderately reduce the number of American films imported.”
Trump has increased tariffs on goods from China to 145%, after Beijing announced plans for 84% on U.S. imports.
Trump’s dismissive reaction is perhaps due to a longtime disdain for many in the industry, who have heavily supported his Democratic rivals through the years. Before he took office for his second term, Trump named three industry supporters — Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight — as his “special ambassadors to Hollywood,” for the purpose of bringing the entertainment industry, “which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!”
China has a quota of 34 foreign films per year, with the revenue shared.
