The United States wants to tighten the screws on Chinese imports again. After increasing the tax on electric cars by 100%, Washington is now targeting low-value products. Currently, imports of $800 and less are exempt from customs duties in the United States. According to the White House, Chinese companies are abusing this ” fault » commercial to flood the American market.
In the Biden administration’s sights, there are mainly two companies: Shein and Temu. The two Chinese e-commerce giants have grown in power in recent years and have largely benefited from the regulations in force in the UNITED STATES.
Their products are sent from the Chine directly to consumers. Declared separately, these imports are considered ” de minimis “, meaning they have too little value to be taxed. This practice has exploded in the United States. In ten years, the number of packages concerned has increased from 140 million to more than a billion.
This mechanism also induces less surveillance of imported products, facilitating the entry of dangerous or illicit products into the United States, such as drugs, according to the National Economic Council.
US authorities also say the increase in volume is due to the growth of Chinese retailers Shein and Temu. Both platforms are known for selling low-cost products directly from China.
New measures in preparation
- RFI
