, Columnist
Xi’s Tariff Fight Reveals China’s Great Divide
While the elites are energized, China’s blue-collar workers are feeling anxious.
The trade war is creating class divisions in China.
Photographer: Cheng Xin/Getty Images
How does an escalating US-China trade war affect people’s well-being? In China, it depends on who you ask.
Some are energized by the fight. Electric-vehicle makers are in hyperdrive, pushing out luxury new models, self-driving features, and battery-charging technologies that allow drivers to recharge almost as fast as filling a gas tank. Instead of selling cars to Americans, the likes of BYD Co. are taking on Tesla Inc. in growth regions such as Southeast Asia.