How should we interpret China's adjustment of tariffs on U.S. goods—specifically, the two-month suspension of the additional 24% tariff rate while retaining the additional 10% tariff rate?

Many people perceive this as an active concession, but in fact it is not merely a goodwill gesture; rather, it is a balanced, pragmatic approach that preserves policy flexibility while safeguarding core interests: The additional 24% tariff will be suspended for two months, yet the additional 10% tariff remains firmly in place. The two-month window is neither too short nor too long—it provides breathing room for both sides and for negotiations. First, let’s examine the benefits of suspending the 24% tariff. The goods subject to this higher rate are largely essential inputs for domestic industrial chains, with limited substitutability. Many are critical raw materials or components indispensable to Chinese manufacturing, while others include key agricultural products. Sustaining a 24% surcharge would significantly inflate import costs—not borne by U.S. exporters, but largely passed on to Chinese enterprises and consumers. Suspending this levy effectively eases the burden on downstream manufacturers, stabilizes procurement costs for raw materials, and prevents adding further cost pressure onto an already strained domestic manufacturing sector. Simultaneously, this measure acts as a brake on the trade channel between China and the U.S., preventing an abrupt escalation of the tariff war and sudden large-scale disruptions to orders and supply chains. The greatest risk for businesses engaged in international trade lies in constant policy volatility. A two-month period of tariff stability enables firms to finalize procurement contracts and production plans—reducing uncertainty-driven hesitation and order cancellations. But here’s the crucial point: Why is the 10% tariff being retained without compromise? This tier represents our bottom-line bargaining chip. From the perspective of reciprocal negotiation, the U.S. still maintains additional tariffs on Chinese goods and has not removed them all; therefore, China cannot unilaterally dismantle its entire set of countermeasures. Trade negotiations operate on reciprocity: removing all countermeasures would leave us empty-handed at the negotiating table, drastically diminishing the other side’s incentive to engage seriously. Retaining the 10% tariff signals clearly to the U.S.: This is not unconditional concession—the right to retaliate remains fully intact. Should the U.S. arbitrarily alter rules or escalate measures, China stands ready to raise the tariff level—and promptly shift pressure back onto the other side.

State Council Tariff Commission: Adjustment of Additional Tariff Measures on Imports Originating from the United States

Policy Update Economic Observation Network — According to CCTV News, the State Council Tariff Commission issued an announcement adjusting additional tariff measures on imports originating from the United States. To implement the consensus outcomes reached during the Washington meeting between the heads of state of China and the United States, and pursuant to the Customs Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Foreign Trade Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Tariff Law of the People’s Republic of China, and other relevant laws and regulations—as well as fundamental principles of international law—the State Council Tariff Commission, with approval from the State Council, has issued an announcement. Effective 13:01 on November 10, 2026, the Commission will adjust the additional tariff measures stipulated in its Announcement No. 4 (2025) on Imposing Additional Tariffs on Imports Originating from the United States. Specifically, the additional 24% tariff rate on U.S. goods will remain suspended for two months, while the additional 10% tariff rate will be retained. China has noted that the U.S. side has repeatedly indicated its intention to replace Section 301 tariffs—whose legal basis under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) has been ruled invalid—with alternative measures.

China Extends Suspension of 24% Tariff on US Imports for Two Months

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China extends suspension of 24% additional tariffs on US imports for two months, retaining a 10% rate, as part of a Washington summit agreement involving $17 billion in US farm goods trade.

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China Extends Suspension of 24% Tariff on US Imports for Two Months

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