In a surprising turn of events, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) announced on Wednesday that it will continue accepting all international inbound mail and packages from the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). This reversal comes after a brief suspension that left many retailers and shippers in a state of uncertainty.
Just a day earlier, on Tuesday, USPS had decided to temporarily halt inbound parcels from the Chinese mainland and HKSAR, although letters and flats remained unaffected. The sudden announcement caused a ripple of confusion among businesses and consumers alike.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded swiftly, urging the U.S. to stop politicizing trade and economic issues and refrain from targeting Chinese companies without cause. \"China will continue to take necessary measures to firmly defend the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies,\" stated spokesperson Lin Jian during a press conference.
The HKSAR government also voiced strong disapproval of the USPS's initial suspension. A spokesperson emphasized the urgency for the U.S. to reverse the decision and lift the additional 10% duty imposed on products from the region.
Confusion among Retailers and Shippers 😕📦
The swift reversal by USPS has added to the confusion among retailers and express shipping firms. Many are left questioning the reasoning behind the temporary suspension and its sudden lift.
The USPS has yet to clarify if the suspension was linked to U.S. President Donald Trump's order ending de minimis shipments from China, which was recently implemented. Meanwhile, USPS is collaborating with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to streamline the collection of new tariffs on Chinese packages to minimize disruption in delivery.
\"The problem is not with the postal service. The problem is with customs. They are not prepared for what's happening,\" shared a postal industry expert who preferred to stay anonymous.
Kate Muth, executive director of the International Mailers Advisory Group, highlighted the challenges faced by CBP in managing the influx of small packages while collecting the necessary duties.
Major international shippers like FedEx have also felt the impact, with FedEx suspending its money-back guarantee on overseas shipments, adding to the uncertainty.
\"We're all running around like headless chickens right now, trying to figure out what's next,\" said Martin Palmer, co-founder of Hurricane Commerce.
As the USPS works to balance tariff collection with efficient delivery, businesses and consumers alike await further clarity from the government on the best way forward.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
