A sharp pullback in China's export orders shows President Trump’s eye-watering tariffs are starting to squeeze the engine room of China’s economy, piling pressure on Beijing to boost its stimulus efforts.

The president’s taxes on imports seems likely to mean emptier shelves and higher prices, perhaps within weeks.

Chinese policymakers on Monday sought to assuage concerns the broad U.S. tariffs could derail efforts to shore up a fragile economic recovery, even as analysts warn the hefty levies raise the risk of a sharp downturn in growth.