“Every single one of our clients would like to stop manufacturing in China, and people say, ‘Why don’t they?’” said Dan Harris, a founder of the law firm Harris Sliwoski, which advises American companies on doing business overseas. “There’s a million reasons why it’s just not that easy.”

“It’s a complete mess,” said Dan Harris, a lawyer whose firm Harris Sliwoski has advised companies on sourcing from China for more than 15 years. He called the current situation “unprecedented,” especially as frenzied Chinese suppliers attempt to recoup losses after months of quarantine.