Latest Updates On Cross-border E-commerce & International Logistics

1. FCC Expands Covered List, Restricting Two Categories of Imported Equipment

Recently, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) formally added foreign-manufactured advanced robotic equipment and connected power inverters to its Covered List of high-risk devices.

Under the new regulation, new models of these two product categories will no longer be eligible for FCC equipment certification. FCC certification is generally a mandatory prerequisite for electronic products to be imported, marketed and sold in the United States. Existing certified legacy models remain unaffected.

2. AliExpress Tops U.S. Gen Z Brand Growth Ranking with Brand+ Strategy

Ad Age, a leading U.S. advertising media outlet, partnered with renowned polling agency The Harris Poll to release the latest Gen Z Brand Tracker Report.

Data shows that AliExpress, one of China's major cross-border platforms, has achieved the fastest growth in brand appeal among Gen Z consumers across the United States through its Brand+ globalization strategy. It outperformed many well-known local brands including Lululemon, AI assistant Grok, restaurant chain Shake Shack and Anthropic's Claude.

3. CBP Conducts Surprise Inspections at Vietnam-based Factories with Chinese Ties

According to Bloomberg reports dated July 28, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has recently launched on-site surprise inspections targeting multiple Vietnamese factories cooperating with Chinese entities.

Inspectors focus on verifying trade documents, corporate qualifications, raw material sourcing, production workflows and processing standards. Authorities closely examine local value-added ratios to confirm whether goods undergo substantial transformation in Vietnam. The crackdown aims to prevent circumvention of U.S. tariffs and trade restrictions via Southeast Asian transshipment.

4. TikTok Shop Japan User Base Surges 30x; Shopee Opens Latin America Opportunities

TikTok Shop Japan disclosed operational data: its user volume increased more than 30 times between July 2025 and June 2026 compared with the launch phase. The platform also rolled out the Japan SOAR Together initiative to support digital transformation for 30 local SMEs.

Meanwhile, Shopee's Latin American market maintains strong momentum with 13.9 billion orders recorded in 2025. A 3PF investment promotion event focusing on Brazil and Mexico will be held in Xiamen on August 12, welcoming cross-border sellers to explore Latin American blue-ocean markets.

5. CBP Rolls Out ACE System Updates with New IOR Account Inactivity Rules

U.S. CBP continues upgrading the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). A new rule regarding account status has recently taken effect, introducing an inactive restriction marker for Importer of Record (IOR) numbers.

If no entry filings are submitted under an IOR number within 366 consecutive days, the system will automatically mark the account as inactive. Restricted IOR accounts cannot submit entry filings, cargo release requests or consolidated declarations. Importers and freight forwarders with infrequent U.S. shipments should maintain account activity to avoid clearance disruptions.