China to reduce Hollywood film imports after Trump Tariffs

China announced Thursday it will reduce the number of American films allowed into the country, hours after then-President Donald Trump imposed record tariffs on Chinese goods, according to Bloomberg.

"The U.S. government’s misguided decision to impose excessive tariffs on China will inevitably diminish Chinese audiences’ enthusiasm for American films," China’s Film Administration said in a statement. "We will follow market principles, respect audience preferences and moderately limit the import of U.S. films."

The move was suggested earlier by two prominent Chinese bloggers, who posted identical proposals Tuesday outlining potential retaliatory measures against Trump’s tariff threats.

Hollywood films have struggled in China for years as trade tensions between the two nations escalated. Once the largest overseas market for U.S. movies, China saw approved U.S. film releases peak in 2018 before plummeting during the pandemic.

In 2024, U.S. films generated approximately $585 million in China, accounting for about 3.5% of the country’s total box office revenue, which stood at $17.71 billion. A substantial portion of this earnings came from Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which grossed $132 million in the Chinese market.

With Beijing’s approval process becoming unpredictable, U.S. studios have scaled back efforts to release and promote films in China. Meanwhile, local audiences have increasingly favored domestic productions.

Recent Chinese government efforts to stimulate domestic consumption had raised hopes that Hollywood blockbusters might regain screen time.