The Maze: The US and China have given importers and shipping companies another two months of relief on certain goods and vessels. The measures were due to lapse in November. The US renewed 178 exemptions from extra duties on Chinese goods, and both countries kept special port fees on hold. China also extended part of its tariff relief for US goods. For retailers ordering stock, the distinction matters. A tariff exemption depends on what clears customs and when. The port fee depends on the vessel.
Source: White House photo by Daniel Torok. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping at the White House during their September 24, 2026 summit.
The details
📦 US customs kept 178 product exemptions. The US Trade Representative’s notice keeps 164 earlier exemptions and 14 for certain solar manufacturing equipment. They waive an extra duty imposed under Section 301, a US law used to respond to trade practices it deems unfair. Goods must match the published tariff code and description. The US notice covers goods formally entered into US commerce, or released from a customs warehouse for sale, before 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on January 9.
🚢 The two countries kept special port fees on hold. The US maritime notice extends a pause that began in November 2025. It covers certain Chinese-owned, operated or built ships, as well as foreign-built vehicle carriers and duties on specified Chinese port equipment, including some cranes. The US suspension runs through 11:59 p.m. Eastern on January 9. China’s transport ministry says its special fees on US-linked vessels will stay on hold until January 10.
🧾 China still charges an extra 10% under this measure. China’s tariff commission deferred another 24 percentage points of extra duty on US-origin goods for two months from November 10. That 10% is on the China side. In February, a US executive order ended America’s separate emergency duties, including the old China fentanyl tariff. The US confirmed in October that its underlying 2018 China tariffs continued. The November exemptions cover a limited set of goods.
Our take
The extension gives retailers time to check January orders against two different rules. A shipment booked during the pause can still arrive after it expires. A single assumption for the cost of goods delivered to the warehouse will hide which part of the bill can change.
📅 Give the customs deadline its own line. The product notice uses the date goods formally enter US commerce. Under the original US Customs guidance, the vessel operator or its agent pays an applicable vessel fee at formal entry at the first US port. If a shipment sails before the cutoff and reaches port after it, the departure date alone tells the retailer little about either charge. Ask the customs broker about the product entry and the carrier about the sailing and fee terms.
🧮 Check the carrier’s quote for pass-through. Maersk told customers in October 2025 it did not plan to add a surcharge for the original rule. CMA CGM made a similar statement under the rules at the time. In the latest consultation, some groups warned of higher costs if fees returned, while others argued that the fees would encourage US shipbuilding. A carrier can change its terms. For January, check the quote and the contract before treating a possible vessel fee as a cost per container.
📋 Keep the proposed tariff cuts out of January budgets. The separate US–China trade framework covers proposed product lists worth about $30 billion of annual trade in each direction. The White House cited toys and small appliances among US import examples. Each country still has to implement any reductions under its own laws. A product appearing on a proposed list gives a retailer a reason to watch for a notice. The tariff schedule is what changes the cost.
