China's latest adjustments to additional tariffs on imports from the United States and its decision to extend the suspension of special port dues on US vessels, along with some other measures, announced on Monday, followed a virtual meeting on Friday between Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Under the tariff adjustment, effective Tuesday, China will continue to suspend the 24 percent additional tariff on US-origin imports for another two months, while retaining the 10 percent rate.
Separately, the Chinese Ministry of Transport will extend until Jan 10 the suspension of special port fees on US ships and the related investigation into the impact on the security and development interests of China's shipping and shipbuilding industries.
China has also decided to continue with the suspension of measures first stipulated by the Ministry of Commerce on April 4, 2025 — placing 16 US entities on the export control list and prohibiting the export of dual-use items to them — for an additional two months, effective Tuesday.
During the two months, exporters intending to ship dual-use items to the above entities must apply to the Ministry of Commerce under China's dual-use export control regulations; the ministry will review the application in accordance with the law and grant a license if the requirements are met.
The country will continue with the suspension of measures first announced on April 4, 2025 — placing 11 US entities on the unreliable entity list and imposing corresponding measures — for an additional two months starting Tuesday. Under the unreliable entity list regulations, domestic enterprises may apply to trade with the above entities; the unreliable entity list working mechanism will review applications in accordance with the law and approve those meeting the specified criteria.
The suspension of port dues, initially announced in November 2025, was coordinated with the US suspension of final measures under its Section 301 investigation into China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors. Maintaining the suspension of part of the additional tariffs, port fees and the other aforementioned measures gives companies on both sides a more predictable policy environment.
However, Beijing has made it clear that its moves should not be mistaken for a concession. The Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council noted that Washington has repeatedly indicated its intention to impose Section 301 tariffs to replace the tariffs introduced under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which the US Supreme Court ruled to be invalid. China will closely monitor US actions and adjust its countermeasures accordingly if necessary.
Although the recently concluded US midterm elections have to some extent reshaped the country's domestic political calculations, they should not inject fresh complications into the economic relations between the US and China.
Beijing's latest measures demonstrate its sincerity in implementing the outcomes of China-US economic and trade consultations, while preserving its ability to respond to new moves by the US side.
The US side needs to recognize that continually introducing new issues complicates negotiations for both countries' trade teams, heightens supply-chain uncertainties, increases corporate compliance and operating costs, and ultimately adds to inflationary pressures in the US. Restrictive blacklists targeting Chinese entities amount to an indirect tax on the US economy, imposing substantial substitution, compliance and opportunity costs on US businesses and consumers.
Another complication is the revival of the familiar "Chinese spying" narrative in the US media. Speculation surrounding Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's extramarital affair was quickly transformed by some US media outlets into insinuations that he had been compromised by a "Chinese intelligence operative", based on circumstantial material and unnamed sources. Responding to the allegations on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun dismissed the so-called "Chinese spy rhetoric" as groundless speculation and a smear campaign against China. Such sensationalism serves neither country's interests.
Any investigation into Huang's affair by the US side should be based on facts and credible evidence, not a preexisting "anti-China narrative".
A more pragmatic approach for the US would be to curb the over-securitization of economic and trade issues, improve regulatory transparency and predictability, and refrain from fabricating sensational conspiracy theories, while addressing differences through consultation.
Otherwise, an ever-expanding web of restrictions will deliver diminishing returns with mounting economic costs, undermining both the prospects for negotiations and US competitiveness.
