US Postal Service stops accepting parcels from China

The US Postal Service (USPS) says it has quickly stopped accepting parcels from mainland China and Hong Kong.

Letters is not going to be affected by the suspension, in keeping with a press release on the corporate’s web site.

USPS stated the suspension will probably be in place “till additional discover” and didn’t supply a cause for the choice.

It comes after US President Donald Trump imposed a further 10% tariff on all items imported to the US from China.

Trump’s govt order eradicated an exemption that allowed items value $800 (£641) or much less to enter the US with out having to pay duties or sure taxes.

The so-called “de minimis” tax loophole confronted elevated scrutiny in recent times as Chinese language e-commerce giants like Shein and Temu used it to succeed in tens of millions of US clients.

In response China stated it will implement tariffs on some US imports.

From 10 February coal and liquefied pure gasoline merchandise (LNG) will face a 15% levy. Crude oil, agricultural equipment and large-engine vehicles will probably be topic to a ten% tariff.

President Trump is anticipated to talk to his Chinese language counterpart Xi Jinping within the coming days.

“Trump’s tariff modifications are particularly sharp if items have been beforehand shipped through e-commerce immediately from China to the US,” stated commerce skilled Deborah Elms.

Near half of all parcels coming into the US underneath de minimis have been despatched from China, in keeping with a 2023 report by the US Congressional committee on China.

US officers have identified that the big movement of parcels coming into the nation by means of this exemption made it more and more troublesome to display them for attainable unlawful items.

The BBC has contacted USPS to request extra particulars in regards to the choice.