
Re: It hurts the Chinese...
" Significant amounts of what is imported from China can only come from there, especially in the electronics fields, at least in the short to medium term"
Smart U.S. companies have already set up "second source" for things, just worth pointing out. Shifting to another "2nd source" manufacturer and ramping up wouldn't take as long as people think...
There are a number of small subcontractors in the USA (and worldwide) that can build things at competitive prices, and with a short setup process and setup fee, you can be up and running at a cost roughly equal to what it could be made for in China (post-tariff specifically).
What China has that saves money and lead time is their component pipeline. Inventory levels on components can be kept small by doing 'just in time' deliveries from the factories that make those components, which by design are most likely IN THE SAME CITY as the manufacturer of the sub-assemblies and final assemblies.
[yes I pretty much know what I'm talking about here, being in/out of manufacturing industry over the last few DECADES, to one extent or another].
A U.S. based company that has a good pick&place setup might actually charge LESS than what a manufacturer in China would want to charge, particularly if they're placing parts on the boards by hand. But the lead times are likely to be longer, due to component availability and things of that nature. I am currently thinking of one particular manufacturer here in the USA when I say that. And in Mexico it has become LESS EXPENSIVE THAN China to make things, from what I've been reading/hearing. Some time ago a company I contracted for did some price comparisons, and chose a U.S.-based facility that's actually near the Mexico border...
All in all, the market is likely to shift to "other than China" as this keeps up. Taiwan still makes things, and so does S. Korea, and so does the Philippines (things are apparently picking up over there, good thing, their economy is really poor), and so China would no longer be able to under-cut these other countries with their gummint-run companies, meaning they'll have a shot at the business China was exclusively doing.
And I don't think it will take THAT long for a savvy team of manufacturing engineers and directors to get things up and running in "not China".
[personally I'd rather see China behave, but obviously THAT isn't happening any time soon]