Las Vegas, Nevada - Chinese companies have expressed concern over the prospects of steep tariffs under President-elect Donald Trump's second administration.

The potential for Trump's trade policies to roil the global tech industry has loomed large over the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which saw multiple major Chinese companies comment on Trump's proposed tariffs.

During the 2024 presidential election campaign, Trump threatened to impose blanket tariffs of 60%, or higher on Chinese companies which import goods and services into the US.

While some view the threat as a negotiating tactic aimed at Beijing, and doubt whether tariffs will ever reach 60%, others see it as a damaging stance that is unlikely to last long once Trump is back in office following his inauguration.

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"We are worried about Trump's government policy, but we think it might not last long," said Mekia Yang of Jitlife, a smart suitcase company which is headquartered in the Sichuan city of Chengdu.

"Trump might act tough at the beginning, and then he might change, because there will be some pressure from domestic markets," she said.

"Once we move our manufacturing to other countries, a tariff is not an issue for us," admitted Zhanbin Ao, a representative of Chinese company Mammotion Technology.

The view has widely been shared that while Trump's tariffs will be unlikely to hit manufacturers in a meaningful way, it will dramatically rise prices for American consumers and become highly unpopular.

Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Technology Association (which organizes CES), said that a 60% tariff on Chinese imports would be "devastating."

"We need a future of strong trade ties with our friends and allies around the world," Shapiro said at a dinner on Wednesday. "In today’s world, no country can go it alone... We must avoid unnecessary tariffs."