Negotiations between China and the U.S. have led to a 90-day temporary reduction in President Trump’s tariffs.
Currently, there's a 30% tariff on goods from China, down from 145%. With few details released on the negotiations, it remains to be seen if a lasting trade agreement is possible between the two countries.
Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock is the founder and president of the Chinatown Business & Community Association. She said Chinatown business owners are worried that they won't have something to sell in the next few months.
"A lot of the merchants, not even, not Hawaiʻi alone, but around the whole world, (are) putting their orders in, rush order to order foods, food stuff, merchandise for the next half a year, if they could. But they had not received any products from China, because the whole world is jumping into that order, big order, and the supply cannot match the demand," she said.
Shubert-Kwock invited HPR to join her in Chinatown to meet a few small business owners and hear about their experiences with the tariffs.
We stopped at Guan Hua first and talked with the owner, Linda. Her shop has been open for 21 years.
In addition to Guan Hua, she and her husband operate another shop on Maunakea Street. She said she may have to close one of the shops.
Linda, translated by Shubert-Kwock, shared that she took advantage of the 90-day temporary tariff reduction. However, she's still waiting for products to arrive.
Next, HPR went to Youpo Noodles, a restaurant Andrew Pressler opened at the beginning of the year. He said he's run into some issues pricing products due to the tariffs.
"I get a lot of my ingredients from a Chinese wholesale company, and they've definitely gone up, which therefore makes my prices go up," Pressler told HPR. "It's definitely a big concern for everybody that uses anything that comes out of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong."
HPR also stopped at Bo Wah Trading Company on Maunakea Street.
Jack is the third generation in his family to run the store. His grandfather opened it in 1977.
Jack said the uncertainty of the tariffs is worse than during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Pandemic is just for a short period of time, and now we don't know when it is going to end. That's the main problem."
He said a supply shortage caused by the tariffs has forced them to increase their store prices by almost 20%.
However, many customers upset about the increases are not shopping there anymore.
This interview aired on The Conversation on May 13, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Tori DeJournett adapted this story for the web.
