Kazakh President Tokayev welcomes Xi at airport

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping at an airport in Astana on Tuesday.

Xi arrived in Astana at noon to attend the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and pay a state visit to Kazakhstan at the invitation of Tokayev.

Xi's plane was escorted by Kazakh Air Force fighter jets after it entered the country's airspace.

The SCO summit will be held in Astana on July 3-4, and China will take over the SCO rotating chair at the conclusion of the summit.

This is President Xi's fifth visit to Kazakhstan. During the visit, President Xi will have talks with President Tokayev on bilateral relations, cooperation in key areas, and the regional and international landscape.

Kazakhstan is the first leg of Xi's Central Asian tour from Tuesday to Saturday, and he will also pay a state visit to Tajikistan at the invitation of President Emomali Rahmon.

Kazakh President Tokayev welcomes Xi at airport

Kazakh President Tokayev welcomes Xi at airport

Kazakh President Tokayev welcomes Xi at airport

Kazakh President Tokayev welcomes Xi at airport

Kazakh President Tokayev welcomes Xi at airport

As the uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration's tariff policies fuels inflationary fears in the United States, a number of consumers have resorted to panic buying amid growing concerns that costs could shoot up.

With price hikes expected on goods such as automobiles, beauty products, and even on everyday food items, many residents say they have been rushing out to stock up before prices climb even further.

In recent street interviews with the China Global Television Network (CGTN), New York residents shared how the impact of the ongoing tariff war is affecting their daily lives.

"Actually, I already have. I've already started stocking up. My mother has a whole stockpile, and she's panicking. But I told her we're going to be okay, as we live in New York City," said Amelia Guilford, a retail worker who was visiting her mother in the city.

With many anticipating a rise in inflation, many Americans are concerned about the long-term financial impact, and say they are now being more prudent with their money.

"I think we have to [spend more carefully]. Because otherwise you're going to be in real trouble economically or in debt, because if you spend more than what you get, that's going to be a lot of trouble," said Jose Pena, a janitor.

The tariffs, which directly affect the price of imported goods, have led to predictions of significant price increases, particularly on goods coming from China, which has been the biggest target of the tariffs.

"[Products] from China are going to be more expensive. I cannot exactly name what kind of products one by one, but every one that comes from China is going to be more expensive, without a doubt," said Pena.

Public frustration is evident, with some questioning the logic behind U.S. President Donald Trump's risky and unpredictable pursuit of tariffs on other countries, as the debate over the long-term consequences of the policy intensifies.

"I think he's just making enemies, and I trust him not. And I think he's making a mess of everything. I think it's all going to come around and flip back. The changes he's doing are completely unsustainable," said Lois Adams, a nurse, as she expressed her disapproval of Trump's approach.

Ordinary Americans are facing up to the harsh reality of rising prices and remain anxious about the future economic impact of the continuing trade war.

Jerome Wilkins, a security worker, voiced concerns about the broader societal implications of the tariffs, warning it will again be the poorest people who suffer the most.

"I think that the tariffs are horrible. I think that it's like privatizing America, and instead of America being a country for the people, it's a corporation for the rich. And it's just for them to get richer, while the poor get poorer. And that's basically how I feel," said Wilkins.

Meanwhile, the Chinese government announced it would raise tariffs on all imported U.S. goods from 34 percent to 84 percent, effective Wednesday, in response to the U.S. decision to escalate its "reciprocal tariffs" on Chinese products, further adding to the economic strain.

Tariff war triggers panic buying in US, raising public concerns over rising costs