The U.S. Postal Service said Wednesday it will resume accepting inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong, just hours after it suspended service from those regions.
READ: How Trump’s new policy affects global commerce and shipping
“The USPS and Customs and Border Protection are working closely together to implement an efficient collection mechanism for the new China tariffs to ensure the least disruption to package delivery,” the agency wrote in a notice posted to its website. The change is effective immediately.
This announcement comes after USPS had declared late Tuesday that it would halt the acceptance of parcels from China and Hong Kong Posts “until further notice.” The abrupt move was in response to President Donald Trump’s recent decision to impose an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods, part of a broader set of trade measures targeting the country’s key trading partners.
Trump’s tariff strategy also extends to Canada and Mexico. While he initially planned to impose a 25% tariff on all imports from those nations starting February 4th, he later agreed to delay the measure for 30 days. The exception to this tariff is energy imports, which will face a 10% levy.
The president’s decision follows through on his campaign promises to increase tariffs on Canada and Mexico as soon as possible. Utilising the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Trump was able to bypass the standard trade review process and impose the tariffs immediately by executive order. This approach contrasts with his previous administration’s tariff increases, which required federal agencies to conduct research, review, and make recommendations before implementation—a process that typically takes months.
“The Airforwarders Association strongly supports free and unfettered trade and is concerned about the sudden suspension of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong, which lacks transparency and could disrupt legitimate commerce. While we recognise the urgency of combating fentanyl trafficking, halting the flow of goods is not a substitute for robust enforcement, cooperation, and intelligence-sharing between the U.S. and China,” Brandon Fried, Executive Director of the Airforwarders Association, said.
“The administration’s broad restrictions on low-value shipments risk imposing higher costs on businesses and consumers while failing to effectively target illicit trade. We urge policymakers to prioritise enforcement solutions that address the root causes of illegal drug smuggling without unnecessarily burdening legitimate global trade”.
