China is reportedly considering an end to US film imports, in response to President Donald Trump’s latest tariff hike.
While no official ban on US movies has been enacted yet, influential Chinese bloggers linked to state media have begun publicly floating the idea of cutting off access to US films as a form of ‘economic retaliation’ (as reported in The Wall Street Journal).
The blogs in question are run by Liu Hong, a senior journalist working for China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, and Ren Yi, the Harvard-educated grandson of Ren Zhongyi (the former Communist Party boss for Guangdong).
This comes after Trump’s recent announcement of a 104% tariff on Chinese goods – a move that has reignited tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
Industry watchers are bracing for impact, particularly given the high stakes for Hollywood studios (we’re looking at you, Disney) that rely on China’s huge box office to recoup massive blockbuster budgets.
ScreenHub: Ne Zha 2: China’s record-breaking new animated film and its ancient philosophies
Eye on China
China is the world’s second-largest film market, and a key international territory for major US releases. A Minecraft Movie is currently the biggest US box office hit in China this year. As of April, Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 is the highest-grossing movie of all time in China, which also made it the world’s highest-grossing movie in any single market.
According to reports, the aforementioned bloggers have suggested that restricting Hollywood films, alongside broader measures like tariffs on US agricultural products and bans on key imports, could be an effective way to signal China’s disapproval of Trump’s current trade policies.
So far, there’s been no direct confirmation from the Chinese Government, but the signal is clear: if the trade war escalates, cultural exports like movies could be dragged into the fray.
China will ‘take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its legitimate and lawful rights and interests,’ Chinese Embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu said (per The Wall Street Journal).
China has already quietly reduced the number of Hollywood films allowed into its cinemas in recent years, instead favouring domestic blockbusters and aligning film approvals with political messaging.
In a year already marked by record-breaking tariffs and fraught international relations, it’s not unreasonable to expect the next target in the US’s so-called trade war will be the Hollywood blockbuster.
Discover film and TV reviews on ScreenHub …
Ne Zha 2: China’s record-breaking new animated film and its ancient philosophies
By Yanyan Hong, University of Adelaide
On the surface, Ne Zha 2: The Sea’s Fury (2025), the sequel to the 2019 Chinese blockbuster Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child, is a high-octane, action-packed and visually stunning animated spectacle, full of hilarious moments and thrilling fight scenes.
But beneath all that, it’s something much deeper: a bold reimagining of Chinese traditional mythology, cultural history and philosophies.
Unlike Hollywood’s classic hero’s journey, Ne Zha 2 is rooted in Chinese thought, weaving together ideas from Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, Legalism and more.
Through the story of a baby-faced warrior god who battles demons, it channels centuries of Chinese tradition into something refreshing, relevant and undeniably global.
The film’s success speaks for itself. Directed by Yang Yu (aka Jiao Zi), Ne Zha 2 has shattered multiple global box office records, pulling in more than US$1 billion in China in just one week.
It has entered the top 10 highest-grossing films of all time, and has become the highest-grossing animated film – outperforming Inside Out 2 (2024).
But what makes Ne Zha 2 so compelling beyond its visual spectacle? At its heart, it’s an inspiring story about identity, free will, self-determination and rebellion – ideas that resonate far beyond China.
Ne Zha is a rebellious deity in traditional Chinese folklore – a boy born with immense superpower, who defies both divine and social expectations.
Most people who know of Ne Zha will trace his legend back to Fengshen Yanyi or Investiture of the Gods, a Ming Dynasty novel that blends mythology with historical elements.
Ne Zha’s true origins, however, trace back to India.
‘Ne Zha’ is a shortened transliteration of the Sanskrit Nalakuvara (or Nalakūbara), an Indian mythological figure who appears in Buddhist and Hindu mythology.
As Buddhism spread to China during the Tang Dynasty, Ne Zha evolved from an intimidating guardian deity into the rebellious, fire-wheeled warrior we know today.
In Ne Zha 2, this ‘fighting spirit’ against authority and hierarchy is taken even further, turning the story into a deeper philosophical exploration of morality, fate, self-worth and power.
