China Extends Suspension of Additional Tariffs on US Imports for Two Months

By Staff, Agencies

China announced on Monday that it would extend the suspension of an additional 24% tariff on US imports, along with the suspension of special port fees on US-linked vessels, for another two months as part of ongoing efforts to maintain the trade truce between the two countries.

According to state-run Xinhua News Agency, citing the Customs Tariff Commission of China’s State Council, Beijing will continue suspending the additional 24% tariff on American-origin goods while maintaining the existing 10% additional tariff rate.

The decision follows the September summit in Washington between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which both sides proposed a $60 billion package of reciprocal tariff reductions. The proposed arrangement includes approximately $17 billion worth of American agricultural products that China imported in 2024.

However, the agreement has yet to be finalized.

China’s State Council said the extension was intended to implement the “outcomes and consensus reached at the Washington meeting between the heads of state of China and the United States.”

The statement also noted that Washington had repeatedly indicated its intention to replace tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act [IEEPA], which have been ruled invalid, with tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act.

“China will continue to closely follow the US side’s subsequent moves and adjust its relevant tariff countermeasures in light of the situation,” the statement added.

In a related development, China’s Ministry of Transport announced on Monday that it would continue suspending special port fees imposed on US-linked vessels.

Beijing will also extend the suspension of its investigation into the implications of US measures for China’s security and development interests in the shipping and shipbuilding sectors, as well as related industrial and supply chains, until January 10, 2027.

China initially announced a one-year suspension of the special port fees and the investigation in November last year, following an agreement reached during China-US economic and trade negotiations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The move coincided with Washington’s decision to suspend the final measures of its investigation into China’s maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries.

The latest extensions reflect continued efforts by Beijing and Washington to preserve their trade understandings, even as disagreements over tariffs, maritime industries and broader economic relations between the world’s two largest economies remain unresolved.