The opening of the first Costco store in China, in the commercial capital of Shanghai, was a scene of chaos. Shoppers lined up for hours to get into the store upon opening, ducking under the roller door as it inched up from the ground. They fought over Birkin bags and Moutai liquor. There was a three-hour wait for a space in the parking lot — and sometimes longer in checkout lines.
By the afternoon, the discount retail store was in such chaos that it had to close early. “Please don’t come,” Costco said in an alert sent to members, who paid $28 to join for a year. Beyond the chaos, they illustrated an important political point. The Chinese and American economies are inextricably intertwined. Chinese shoppers want American products, especially at bargain prices, and American companies want Chinese shoppers.
President Trump a week ago ordered — without the authority or the ability to do so — American companies to leave China. Chinese state media outlets responded by gleefully pointing out some of the big-name American companies, including Costco, that are doing just the opposite.
