The Country 13/05/25: Hunter McGregor talks to Jamie Mackay

Shanghai-based Kiwi selling red meat to the Chinese. He’s cautious about Trump’s tariff reduction and the still-fragile state of the Chinese economy.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We're going international on the country today. Very shortly, We're
off to the US to catch up with our guy
over there, Todd Clark, see what he makes of Trump's
latest move to lower tariffs between the US and China
and vice versa. But let's head to Shanghai. See what
the Chinese think of it, Hunter McGregor. Is our guy
there a key we selling venison to the Chinese.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Good news, good afternoon, Jamie. Well, anything that reduced tariffs
of good news. But yeah, I don't think the Chinese
are too excited at the stage. Let's see how things
play out, because Trump might change his mind in a
couple of weeks.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
Now, I note that goods from China to the US
still have effectively a thirty percent tariff. From the US
into China, it's set ten percent, so there's still like
a twenty percent fent and old tariff on stuff coming
from China to the US. How much fentanyl do you send?
I thought it was the Mexicans and the Canadians that

(00:55):
cent it in.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
Well, I was been trying to read up about that
because too sure what was going on. But I think
it's the precursors. It's the chemicals that make fentanyl, so
they apparently they're being shipped out of China into Mexico
and Canada and then the products made there. But you know,
I know that in China they've been clamping down on that.
There is no fentanyl in China or very few drugs

(01:18):
around here these days. So now I'll bentually see how
that plays out. But you know, the drop from forty
five one hundred and forty five percent down to thirty
percent as positive for you know, a lot of Chinese
factories because they have been under a bit of pressure.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
I saw some commentary from Trump and he was sort
of saying in an indirect sort of way that China
was begging for a deal.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Well, I don't think so. I think you know, Trump,
Trump's claiming it as a wonderful deal, and he's, you know,
he saved the day. So I don't think China would
have been begging for a deal. They would have been
wanting to be seen as equals. And now and I
see in their release that they're going to they go
to ninety day stay on these to or change in

(02:03):
these tariffs, which starts tomorrow on Wednesday. But the key
is going to be ongoing discussion So let's see how
that plays out, because they need to sort of sort
something long term because there's shopping and changing all the
time is not good for anybody. Yeah, but there has
been some pressure on Chinese factories here, there's no doubt

(02:24):
about that. But what is going to be doing in
the next few months. It's going to be moving on
to the US consumer because prices are going to go
up and you know, and shop shelves are going to
be empty because you know, the shipping has gone right down,
you know, down about twenty thirty forty ports in America.
So it's going to affect the US consumer. So let's

(02:45):
see how Trump goes with a bit of pressure on
his side.

Speaker 1 (02:48):
Well, don't worry. Trump will make a great deal, a
beautiful deal before it all turns to custard for him,
if you're to believe him. Lego Land is opening in Shanghai.
But this is sort of a mini me of Disney
and Universal.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
Yeah, it was quite exciting. Legal Land is opening on July,
the fifth of July, so you know, it's quite It's
a small amusement park. They're only sort of spent about
about half a billion US dollars in developing it compared
to what they spent with Disney, which is about three
point seven billion US, and then Universal in Beijing they

(03:25):
spent about six point five billion. But you know with
disney Land in Shanghai last year they had about fourteen
million people go through it, So you know, if you
want to go, you know, China's full of people. But
even when I go to Disneyland, which I've been a
couple of times here, it's not much fun. It's pretty crowded.

Speaker 1 (03:45):
Exactly. Now, you've got a state visit from Brazil at
the moment. How big a deal is Brazil to China
as a trading partner.

Speaker 2 (03:54):
Well, a very big deal. And you know Brazil's is
the key trader on she on the agricultural commodities like
sayer beans, beef, a lot of Brazilian beef, you know,
a lot of Sawyer beans and stuff. So it is
a big deal for both sides. I do see that
the Brazilian president and he's got eleven of his ministers

(04:17):
on his trade delegation. He's in here for five days
and then you have President she will be heading with
a big delegation down I think it's in may Or
later this year for the Bricks meeting, So yeah, it's
an important tie for China and it's good to see
big delegations like that. It will be interesting. It'll be

(04:38):
good to see the new Zealand Prime Minister come up
with a big delegation at some point because he hasn't
made it here since he's been to office, so you
be looking forward to that when that happens.

Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it. He's been to India a
number of times as I understand it, but not yet
to China on the state visit. We'll ask him why
not on tomorrow's show, but on today's show. Haunter McGregor
from Shanghai, thanks for your time.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
Cheers, Thanks Jovic