Chinese retail investors are increasingly buying domestic stocks as a show of patriotism amid escalating trade tensions with the United States. This trend has been encouraged by authorities seeking to counter market panic and stabilize capital markets following the announcement of new reciprocal tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump on April 2, referred to by some in China as 'Liberation Day.' Individuals such as Cao Mingjie, a home designer from Guangdong, have begun investing in the stock market for the first time, pledging to contribute 2,000 yuan monthly not for profit but as support for the country. Many retail investors are joining state-backed institutional investors, known as the 'national team,' to defend the stock market, particularly in sectors aligned with China's national agenda such as defense, consumer goods, and semiconductors. Since April 4, China's share markets have seen a net retail inflow of 45 billion yuan, reversing six consecutive sessions of outflows totaling 91.8 billion yuan prior to the tariff announcement. On April 7, when stocks fell 7%, state-backed investors and brokerages publicly committed to stabilizing prices, and several listed companies announced share buyback plans. Premier Li Qiang has called for strengthened efforts to steady the market. The market has since rebounded 8% from seven-month lows reached in early April and is down 1.3% for the month, compared to a drop of over 8% in U.S. stocks. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have attracted over 230 billion yuan in inflows since April 7, pushing the segment's total size above 4 trillion yuan for the first time. Patriotic sentiment is also influencing professional investors. Hedge fund manager Yang Tingwu has allocated all available funds to domestic stocks, and Liam Zhou, founder of Minority Asset Management, has invested his $1 billion portfolio entirely in China stocks. Zhou Lifeng holds 3 million yuan in consumer and defense stocks with 7 million yuan in reserve, while restaurant operator Shu Hao has invested several million yuan in Chinese shares. Sectors benefiting from government self-sufficiency policies or affected by tariffs, such as consumer, technology, agriculture, tourism, and defense, have seen increased buying. Companies like JD.com, Freshippo, CR Vanguard, and Yonghui Superstores have announced measures to help exporters shift to the domestic market. UBS strategist Meng Lei noted that patriotic buying has improved investor sentiment. Some investors have also announced personal boycotts of American brands in response to the trade conflict.