US-China trade war: AI memes about American factory jobs are the most viral thing on the internet today

A series of memes poking fun at the idea of American workers returning to garment factories has taken over social media, with the backdrop of growing tensions between the US and China over a trade war. It all kicked off with an AI-generated video that went viral on Chinese social media platforms. It is believed that the video was created by a TikToker from China.
In the video, an overweight man is shown working at a sewing machine in a factory. The video then shows other similar scenes, all based on obese workers with tired and frustrated expressions, and a Chinese tune is heard playing in the background. The video has also received several comments, reshares, and likes on the post, where a person commented, “The Chinese are trolling America with memes on American re-industrialization. The music.”
The video seems to mock the concept of bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US. Another user posted an AI-generated image of a man at a sewing machine, wearing the signature red ‘MAGA’ hat and a person described the image as “the Mona Lisa of the AI internet”.

While some find the memes funny, they also compel the users to evaluate the impact of tariffs and the future of American manufacturing. One person asked in the comments, “Seriously though, are Americans ready to work these jobs?” The comment brought into limelight the question whether US workers would be willing to take on such labour-intensive jobs.
Another user pointed out, “Is this what's facing Target customers? China is the cornerstone of Target's supply chain, so much so that they have at times chartered ships to bring products from China.” This comment draws attention to how much of the US retail industry relies on Chinese manufacturing.
Not everyone is critical, though. Some users believe the US will take a more tech-driven approach. “I think Americans will automate most of it. Americans want to be self-sufficient, and that's a good start, but they don't really need a trade war to start this initiative. After manufacturing, they'll force other countries to buy their products to earn profit. So predictive,” said a user.

However, another user said, “I think most Americans would prefer high-tech jobs rather than these boring jobs. Even if it's a fair wage, not many people are going to do it.” This reflects the reality that many workers today are more interested in skilled, high-tech jobs than in returning to traditional factory work.
Amid the ongoing trade wars between the global powers, former President Donald Trump recently announced new tariffs on goods coming from around the world. Starting April 9th, a 104% additional tariff will be applied because China hasn’t backed down from its retaliatory measures. This latest move is part of Trump’s broader strategy to address trade imbalances, and it continues to stir the pot in the heated debate over global trade and US labour.