- US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 100 per cent tariffs on foreign films, claiming it's a national security measure to revitalise the American movie industry, which he says is "dying".
- He cited foreign incentives luring American filmmakers and studios away, and the potential for propaganda in foreign films, as justification for the proposed tariffs.
- This threat comes after reports that China considered banning US films in response to Trump's earlier tariffs on Chinese goods.
- In 2024, US films grossed $585 million in China, a small fraction of China's total box office.
- The US film sector currently enjoys a trade surplus with China, as Chinese films are less popular overseas, although some are gaining traction internationally.
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