Chinese leader Xi has responded by hitting the gas on manufacturing, pushing Chinese companies to pump out a surfeit of goods that are pouring into foreign markets and propping up the economy at home.

The Chinese economy is more dependent on exports, making tariffs more potent, yet it’s less reliant on American markets and increasingly bent on self-sufficiency.

The world is entering an era of protectionism” as the U.S. turns to aggressive tariffs, warns one China expert. How nasty will it get?