Interpretation of U.S. Import Tariff Policy in: Coping Strategies and Compliance Suggestions for International Logistics and Foreign Trade Companies

Imgage Source: REUTERS

The Global Trade Balance Act signed by US President Trump on April 2nd has officially come into effect, which implements a hierarchical tariff system:

• Basic tax rate: 10% (covering 80% of imported goods, effective April 5)
• Additional taxes on key economies: 36 countries including China (+34%), the European Union (+20%), and Japan (+24%) (effective April 9)
• Duty-free cancellation for small parcels: Full tax on imported goods under $800 (effective immediately)

Triple impact on international logistics industry

1. Transport cost restructuring
   The spot freight rate of 40-foot containers on the US-West route rose by 18% in a single week (Freightos Baltic Index), and the average waiting time at ports in the Gulf of Mexico was extended to 8.7 days (S&P data as of April 3)
Customs clearance risk escalation
CBP has enabled the HS CODE intelligent verification system (AI-MAP), and the tolerance of declaration non-conformity rate has been reduced to 0.3%. It is recommended to enable the priority channel of AEO certification enterprises
2. Supply chain restructuring accelerates
   Demand for nearshore procurement in North America has surged, warehousing rents in Monterrey Industrial Zone in Mexico have increased by 27% (JLL report), and the occupancy rate of Chinese-funded enterprises in Vietnam industrial parks has reached 92%

Enterprise Response Programme Framework
Policy layer

• Establish a tariff sensitivity assessment model (suggested parameters: commodity profit rate/tax rate elasticity ≥ 1.5)
• Apply for GSP/FTA and other tariff exemption qualifications (medical devices/new energy components can be subject to the China-EU whitelist terms)

Operation layer

• Emergency plan: It is recommended to use DDP clauses to transfer tax burdens for goods arriving in Hong Kong before April 5
• Transportation optimization: high-value goods are transferred to air freight (the utilization rate of Sino-US airlines has reached 89%), refer to the UPS emergency rate table
• Document management: Certificate of Origin + Cost Schedule required (CBP Form 28 new regulations)

Industry warning tips

• Abandonment risk: The abandonment rate of household goods/FMCG category is expected to reach 14% (2023 benchmark value 5.3%)
• Legal Controversy: U.S. Customs Service has received 17 Section 232 unconstitutional lawsuits (involving automotive/PV module importers)
• Alternative: Consider entrepot trade routes (Malaysian Port Klang/Turkish Port Mersin Transfer advantages highlight)