In April 2025, the U.S. president reignited the trade war with China—most notably on April 9, when he raised the total tariff rate on Chinese exports to 145%, following an earlier “Liberation Day” announcement on April 2 that triggered a sweeping expansion of tariffs. After two months of intense negotiations, both nations reached a framework for a trade truce, modestly easing tensions. As a Chinese artist who lived in the U.S. for six years and holds a bachelor's degree in economics, I followed these developments not just through the lens of policy, but as a lived and social experience. While it’s clear that consumers ultimately absorb the cost of tariffs, a deeper look reveals a disturbing gender dynamic: women often pay more than men. This phenomenon—known as the “pink tariff”—exposes how systemic inequality seeps even into global trade policy. In response, I am launching a conceptual brand called Tariffed Global Shop. It critiques a global system where women are undervalued in income yet overcharged in consumption—within a world largely designed and governed by male-centric power. This project insists that politics is not a distant spectacle. It’s present in our wallets, our choices, and our everyday realities— even when shaped by decisions made thousands of kilometers away. By merging economic theory, gender critique, and political consciousness, Tariffed Global Shop invites viewers to visualize the hidden costs of inequality. It reminds us that we are all stakeholders in the systems we inhabit—and that awareness is the first step toward change.
