WASHINGTON: The Trump administration ended United States duty-free access for low-value shipments from China and Hong Kong on Friday (May 2), removing the “de minimis” exemptions used by Shein, Temu and other e-commerce firms as well as traffickers of fentanyl and other illicit goods.
The action restores an executive order from President Donald Trump in February that was quickly suspended due to a lack of screening procedures for sub-US$800 shipments that sparked chaos at airports and caused millions of packages to pile up.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has “a massive task at hand” but is ready to handle the enforcement and collection of Trump’s tariffs on small Chinese shipments, a spokesperson for the agency said.
“We are prepared and equipped to carry out enhanced package screening and enforce orders effectively as outlined” in Trump’s executive order ending de minimis treatment for China, the spokesperson added.
The new procedures should not affect passenger wait times at airports and ports of entry, the spokesperson said.
The packages are handled in the cargo section of airports, even when they arrive in the bellies of passenger planes.
Under CBP’s latest guidance, shipments from China and Hong Kong, regardless of size, will now be subject to Trump’s new tariffs of 145 per cent plus any prior duties, except for products such as smartphones, which were excluded last month.
These will largely be handled by express shippers such as FedEx, United Parcel Service or DHL, which have their own cargo handling facilities.
Items valued at up to US$800 and sent from China via postal services are treated differently. They are now subject to a tax of 120 per cent of the package’s value or a flat fee of US$100 per package – an amount that rises to US$200 in June.
