The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced Tuesday night that it is temporarily suspending packages sent from China and Hong Kong until further notice. This suspension, which took effect immediately, does not impact letters and flats (mail measuring up to 15 inches long or 3/4 inches thick).
The decision comes after President Donald Trump imposed an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods and eliminated a customs exception that allowed small value parcels to enter the U.S. without paying tax. According to CBS News, this move is expected to affect popular online shopping platforms like Shein and Temu, which rely heavily on USPS for direct-to-consumer shipping from China.
USPS did not provide a specific reason for the suspension or indicate how long it will last. The suspension is likely to delay shipments and could result in higher prices for consumers.
Full USPS Announcement:
International Service Disruptions
China
February 4, 2025
Temporary Service Disruption
Effective Feb. 4, the Postal Service will temporarily suspend only international package acceptance of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong Posts until further notice. Note the flow of letters and flats from China and Hong Kong will not be impacted, according to the USPS.
In response to the suspension, China’s Finance Ministry announced it would impose a tariff of 15% for coal and liquefied natural gas and 10% for crude oil, agricultural equipment, and large-engine cars imported from the U.S., effective Feb. 10. Additionally, China launched an anti-monopoly investigation into Alphabet Inc’s Google and included both PVH Corp., the holding company for Calvin Klein and other brands, and U.S. biotechnology company Illumina on its “unreliable entities list,” according to Fox News.
A global media for the latest news, entertainment, music fashion, and more.
