San Francisco’s beloved Chinatown is facing an economic apocalypse, and it’s all thanks to the Orange Menace’s trade war shenanigans. State Assemblymember Matt Haney is sounding the alarm about Trump’s jaw-dropping 145% tariffs on Chinese imports that are decimating family-owned businesses faster than you can say “dumplings”.

The Economic Bloodbath

With up to 90% of inventory in some stores sourced directly from China, these tariffs are basically dropping a financial neutron bomb on one of our city’s most iconic neighborhoods. Imagine wheat flour prices nearly doubling from $20 to $43 for a 50-pound bag - that’s not just inflation, that’s economic warfare against small businesses.

Who Gets Hurt?

Local merchants like Edward Siu from the Chinatown Merchants United Association are basically saying they’re more screwed now than during the pandemic. No subsidies, no support, just pure economic pain. Donald Luu from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce is warning about potential layoffs and store closures that could gut an entire community’s economic ecosystem.

The California Resistance

In true Bay Area fashion, Governor Gavin Newsom is basically trying to act like California’s own independent nation, negotiating trade agreements to protect our local businesses. Because if there’s one thing we do well, it’s refusing to go down without a fight.

The message is clear: when you mess with Chinatown, you mess with San Francisco’s soul - and we’re not about to let that slide.