A freight vessel carrying over 2,700 domestically made vehicles and construction machinery departed from Suzhou Port in east China's Jiangsu Province on Sunday, bound for Durban in South Africa.
This marked the launch of the first direct cargo shipping route from the Yangtze River basin to Africa, which offers combined roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) and container shipping services.
The shipping route will streamline transportation of goods between China's Yangtze River basin and Africa, making it easier for local businesses to access African markets.
Operating once a month, the service will primarily transport passenger cars, construction machinery, and related parts.
First direct shipping line links China's Yangtze River region with Africa
First direct shipping line from China's Yangtze River basin to Africa launched
In a letter sent to the White House, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce warned of tariff hikes' "irreparable harm" to small businesses and a potential economic recession, calling for immediate tariff relief.
In a statement released on Thursday, the chamber said it had sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Wednesday.
"The Chamber requests the administration take immediate action to save America's small businesses and stave off a recession," the letter read.
The chamber asked the administration to address the impacts of tariffs by granting automatic exclusions for any small business importer, establishing a process for companies to apply for an exclusion if the company can demonstrate that tariffs pose a risk to employment for American workers, and providing exclusions for all products that cannot be produced in the United States or are not readily available.
"As each day goes by, small businesses are increasingly endangered by higher costs and interrupted supply chains that will cause irreparable harm," said Suzanne P. Clark, president and CEO of the chamber, in the statement.
"Whether it is coffee, bananas, cocoa, minerals or numerous other products, the reality is certain things just can't be produced in the United States," she said, adding that raising prices on those products will only hurt families struggling to pay their bills.
US commerce organization warns of tariffs' harm to small businesses
