Chinese key national trade and industry organizations have voiced opposition to U.S. move to cancel duty-free treatment for low-value packages from China.
The U.S. said on Wednesday that it will end the tax exemption for packages worth less than 800 U.S. dollars from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, starting May 2. Those products will be subjected to a duty rate of 30 percent of their value, or 25 dollars per item.
The China Express Association, on behalf of China's postal and express delivery enterprises, expressed firm opposition to the U.S. move to cancel duty-free treatment for low-value packages from China, according to its statement issued on Thursday.
In a statement, the association said that cross-border e-commerce packages from China have helped American consumers meet their personalized consumption needs, reduce their living costs and improve their quality of life, adding that the move will harm the interests of consumers in the United States, especially U.S. families and young people, who rely on cross-border e-commerce shopping.
"We hope the United States will correct its wrong practice and take necessary measures to create a fair and predictable policy environment for the development of cross-border e-commerce and delivery," the association said.
It added that it hoped to continue to provide stable and convenient international delivery channels for American consumers to purchase their desired goods - doing so via effective cooperation between Chinese and U.S. postal and express delivery enterprises.
The China National Textile and Apparel Council said Friday that the U.S. move to cancel duty-free treatment for low-value packages will hurt U.S. consumers' interests and undermine the fairness and efficiency of the international market.
This move seriously violates international trade rules. It not only disrupts the normal trade order in the textile industry between China and the U.S., but also negatively impacts Chinese textile and apparel enterprises - especially small, medium, and micro-sized businesses, cross-border e-commerce operators, and supporting supply chains.
Moreover, it will directly harm the interests of numerous ordinary consumers in the United States and undermine fairness and efficiency in the international market, the council said.
China's National Light Industry Council on Friday also voiced strong opposition, criticizing the move as disruptive to normal trade between the two countries.
The United States' duty-free policy for low-value parcels dates back to the 1930s. The system was originally designed to facilitate American travelers bringing souvenirs back from abroad, helping them avoid additional expenses.
In recent years, a growing number of American consumers have been purchasing high-quality, affordable overseas products through online platforms, enjoying the benefits brought by global trade development.
The U.S. decision to cancel the duty-free policy for low-value parcels not only undermines the stability of the global supply and industrial chains for light consumer goods, but also inflicts significant direct losses on ordinary American consumers, the council said.
This is a clear case of a move that harms both others and itself, ultimately damaging the interests of all parties involved, including the United States, it added.
China's light industry has undergone early market-oriented reform and maintains a high degree of internationalization, consistently standing as a staunch defender of free trade.
"We strongly urge the U.S. government to respect market principles, acknowledge the needs of its people, and put an end to its misguided actions," it said.
Chinese key national trade, industry bodies voice opposition to US new tariffs
