As a journalist, I have written and read countless reports on the US-China trade war, the tit-for-tat tariff hikes, political statements, economic tensions and market reactions.

But to experience it first-hand, on the ground, during one of the most intense weeks of tariff escalations under US President Donald Trump – was a different story altogether.

It was a rare opportunity, coming less than a week after I arrived in China for the China International Press Communication Centre (CIPCC) 2025 programme, and it changed how I understood the real impact of the trade war, not just on policy but on people.

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It’s Not Just a Headline – It’s Personal

We often view geopolitical conflicts through numbers such as trade deficit or surplus charts, export volumes and gross domestic product (GDP) shifts. But on this trip to Beijing, I felt the emotional layer of it.

The trade war is real and it is personal for many Chinese consumers.

I visited several popular malls, Livat in Daxing, China World Mall in Chaoyang District and U-Town in the Chaowai business area. These malls are usually vibrant commercial hubs, attracting both locals and tourists, but what I found surprised me.

Unlike the retail scenes I’m familiar with in cities like Bangkok, Manila, London or Paris, where international beauty and fashion brands like Sephora, Bobbi Brown, MAC and Nike are ambushed by shoppers – the stores in Beijing told a different story.

Most were nearly empty. I walked into multiple Sephora outlets and, in each one, I was often the only person there. It was the same story in MAC and Bobbi Brown. Even Nike outlets lacked their usual energy.

Then there was the Apple Store. While it carried Apple products, one of the malls saw the name rebranded entirely, probably a strategic move to localise and blend in with the broader sentiment.

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The Rise of National Pride

Over the past week, one thing that became crystal clear is that Chinese consumers take pride in their own brands. The days when Western products were seen as superior seem to be fading.

This pride goes beyond politics; it’s embedded in the culture now. People are choosing to support homegrown brands and there’s an unmistakable confidence in the quality and innovation of Chinese products.

This obviously reminded me of the campaign ‘Belilah barangan buatan Malaysia’ (Buy Malaysian Goods) in 1998 when I was still in primary school.

Personally, I think we should revive the campaign, especially with the recent US tariff hike announcement, in a move to better market our homegrown products.

Back to my Beijing story, yes, you will still see people using iPhones and driving Teslas but the preference to be associated with local brands is evident in the shopping habits and even in casual conversations I had with locals.

But When It comes to Food, the Rules Change

Interestingly, the same cold reception to Western brands didn’t apply across the board when it came to food. The story was completely different.

I saw Starbucks, McDonald’s and KFC outlets packed with customers, young and old, enjoying their meals. The energy inside these outlets was in stark contrast to that in the luxury brand stores nearby.

According to a report by China Daily, the number of McDonald's restaurants will reach over 10,000 in China's first-tier to fifth-tier cities by 2028.

It got me thinking, maybe food is the baseline, the common ground perhaps.

While trade policies, tariffs and nationalist sentiments may shape choices in fashion and tech, food has a unique super power to transcend those divisions.

There’s something about grabbing a coffee at Starbucks or a fried chicken meal at KFC that still resonates with people here.

Perhaps food, more than any other commodity, serves as a soft bridge between these two economic giants.

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A Reality You Cannot Learn from News Reports

As a journalist, especially one writing on business, it’s easy to get lost in numbers, trade policies and diplomatic statements.

But stepping into an empty Sephora store, like in Beijing, is something I have never experienced in any other country, and the contrast with a bustling Starbucks outlet, gave me a new lens through which to see the US-China trade war.

It’s not just a fight about tariffs; it’s a story of shifting loyalties, national identity and evolving values.

Yet, it’s a reminder that some connections like the simple joy of a shared meal still hold strong.

I was fortunate to witness the sentiment on the ground in China – and I hope to one day experience the American perspective too.

-- BERNAMA

Kisho Kumari Sucedaram is a journalist with BERNAMA.