00:00Would you buy a Birkin bag if you knew it was made in China?
00:03That's the question Chinese manufacturers are testing out on social media.
00:07Various suppliers on TikTok are claiming that they are the original manufacturers
00:11of designer bags like Hermes and Louis Vuitton,
00:15and are urging users to buy the branded products directly from China to avoid Trump's tariffs.
00:21But experts say any factory offering direct orders of big brands to Americans is probably
00:28not legit, because they are likely under contract to not disclose that fact.
00:33Still, these videos are getting a lot of eyeballs.
00:36One bag maker racked up millions of views, claiming his products rival top Western brands.
00:43And websites that sell Chinese dupes are seeing traffic too.
00:47DHgate has soared to the number two spot on the US Apple App Store.
00:51And this content isn't just on TikTok.
00:53Chinese platforms like Weibo and Red Note are also filled with trade war content.
00:59Like this AI-generated meme of Trump sewing a MAGA hat in a Chinese factory.
01:04As these videos go viral, the US's reliance on Chinese suppliers is becoming more apparent.
01:10And this could have a real impact on small businesses in the US.
01:14Some say the tariffs could shut them down,
01:17with shipping costs doubling and key materials getting hit across the board.
01:21China's Commerce Ministry is calling for calm,
01:24asking the US to ditch erroneous tariff policies and return to dialogue.
01:29It's unclear right now that even if these goods are bought directly from the Chinese suppliers,
01:35that they would evade Trump's 145% tariffs.
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