Marketplace has been following Lei’s business since 2018, just before President Trump imposed tariffs in his first term. Not only did his business survive the extra levies, but Lei said the percentage of his sales to the U.S. went up from 50% in 2018 to 70% at the start of this year.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke on Thursday at a time when stalled tariff negotiations between their two countries have roiled global trade.

U.S. exports to China would likely have been $160 billion to $201 billion greater without the seven-year Trump-Biden trade war.