Sino‑US Tariff Situation Faces New Turmoil, Exporters Accelerate Diversified Overseas Layout

As preparations for the Sino‑US leaders' meeting in Washington on September 24 move steadily forward, a new round of U.S. tariff plans targeting China has emerged, bringing uncertainties to the bilateral foreign‑trade landscape.

According to Bloomberg, the United States intends to impose an additional 7.5 % tariff on Chinese‑origin goods under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on the grounds of China's manufacturing overcapacity before the summit. It aims to complete investigation, public notification and policy implementation by September 24. Restricted by domestic statutory procedures in the U.S., however, this timeline is difficult to deliver as scheduled, leaving room for subsequent adjustments to the proposal.

This is not the first time Washington has rolled out restrictive tariffs via Section 301 this year. Back in July, the U.S. launched a tariff investigation covering more than 60 economies worldwide under the pretext of "forced labour", setting a 12.5 % tariff rate for Chinese goods. Should the new 7.5 % surcharge take effect, the combined rate will hit the 20 % cap for alternative tariffs agreed upon during earlier China‑U.S. economic and trade consultations. Many industry observers believe the U.S. side seeks to maximize trade pressure on China while nominally staying within the scope of prior agreements.

The proposed tariff has met noticeable domestic opposition in the United States. On August 3, Democratic governors and attorneys‑general from 25 states including California and New York filed a lawsuit with the U.S. Court of International Trade, demanding that previously implemented Section 301 tariffs be suspended.

To date, the product list, item‑specific categories and differentiated rates for the new proposed tariffs have not been officially released. Sources familiar with the matter indicate the White House may revise its plan: one possible scenario is announcing a higher nominal tariff, then suspending part of the levy to keep the effective rate at 7.5 %. The final policy remains pending official announcement.

Industry Insight: Rising Trade Barriers Make Multi‑route Global Expansion Imperative

Against rising global trade‑protectionist sentiment and frequent geopolitical shifts, exporters relying heavily on a single overseas market and fixed sales channels face amplified operational risks. To offset higher costs triggered by U.S. tariff hikes and diversify risks, developing multi‑region and multi‑channel strategies has become an irresistible trend for foreign‑trade enterprises.