Shipping containers sit on the container ship Alexandra at the Port Newark Container Terminal, ... More Friday, April 18, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

In a world of instant communications and consumer expectations of same-day delivery of goods, it’s easy to overlook how much time in advance is necessary to enable speed and convenience.

President Donald Trump imposed a series of increased tariffs on goods from China, which, in turn, imposed higher tariffs on goods from the U.S. This isn’t an abstract issue but one that is already in effect and could create a waterfall of additional domestic consequences.

China has been the third-largest trading partner of the U.S. and the third-largest source of imports here so far in 2025, according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, specifically Exhibit 14. U.S. Trade in Goods by Selected Countries and Areas: 2025. About $73.2 billion has come in through March compared to $83.3 billion from Mexico and $73.3 billion from Canada.

However, China is a source of many commodity products, materials, and components. Comparing dollar values of imports among the nation’s top three trading partners doesn’t communicate the physical volume.

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