These states could be hit the hardest by a trade war with China

Updated
  • A trade war between the US and China is escalating as the two countries lay out tariffs against each other.

  • Different states have different levels of trade with China, and could be hit hard by a trade war.

Stocks tumbled early on Wednesday amid fears of an escalating trade war between the US and China as the two countries traded tit-for-tat tariffs and other protectionist measures against each other.

But not every state will be hit equally hard should the burgeoning trade war intensify.

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The US Census Bureau tracks data on international trade of goods for each of the 50 states and DC. That data can give us some insight into which states have the biggest exposure to trade with China.

Five states e xported more goods to China than any other country in 2016: Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Louisiana, and South Carolina, as can be seen in the following map of the top export trading partner in each state for that year.


Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from US Census Bureau

Meanwhile, 22 states imported more goods from China than from any other country:


Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from US Census Bureau

Here are the ten states with the most exposure to China, as measured by the share of total state goods exports that are sent to that country:


Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from US Census Bureau

SEE ALSO: Every US state economy ranked from worst to best

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