14 May 2025 | 10:39PM HKT Tariff turnover; reverting to our pre-Liberation Day base case Kinger Lau, CFA +852-2978-1224 | kinger.lau@gs.com Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C. China Musings 1. After the two-day trade talks in Switzerland over the past weekend, on May 12, the US and China announced a 90-day pause in retaliatory tariffs imposed in April. The effective US tariff rate on Chinese goods will be lowered from 107% to 39% starting May 14, whereas the import levy from the US to China will be cut to 30% from ...

Investment Rating - The report raises the real GDP growth forecast for China to 4.6% in 2025 and 3.8% in 2026, up from previous estimates of 4.0% and 3.5% respectively [1][10][19] Core Insights - The US-China trade talks resulted in larger-than-expected tariff rollbacks, with US tariffs on Chinese goods dropping to 30% for an initial 90 days, significantly reducing the previous tariff burden [2][8] - The effective US tariff rate on China is estimated to be around 39%, down from 107% previously, while China's effective tariff rate on the US is around 30%, down from 144% [2][10] - The report anticipates that Chinese real exports will be roughly flat in 2025/26, a significant improvement from the previous forecast of a -5% annual decline [1][10] Summary by Sections Economic Impact - The report indicates that the tariff rollbacks will lead to a smaller drag on China's growth, resulting in less demand for domestic policy easing than previously expected [8][10] - The net export contribution to China's GDP growth is now expected to be +0.1 percentage points, compared to a previous expectation of -0.5 percentage points [10] Policy Adjustments - Monetary policy easing expectations have been adjusted to only one 10 basis point cut in Q4 2025, down from two cuts previously anticipated [1][10] - The augmented fiscal deficit estimate for China has been lowered to 13.0% of GDP for 2025, down from 13.5% [1][10][16] Growth Forecast Revisions - The report raises sequential growth forecasts for Q2 and H2 2025, resulting in a 0.9 percentage point increase on a Q4/Q4 basis [10][19] - The revised forecasts for China's GDP growth reflect a more stable outlook amid ongoing trade negotiations, with balanced risks primarily surrounding US-China trade relations [9][10]