China to adjust import tariff rates, items on certain goods for 2025

China will adjust the import tariff rates and items on certain goods starting from Jan. 1, 2025, in an effort to expand domestic demand and advance high-standard opening up, authorities announced Saturday.

Provisional import tariffs, lower than the most-favored-nation rates, will be applied to 935 commodities next year as part of the annual tariff adjustment plan. This plan "will help increase the imports of quality products," according to a statement from the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council.

In order to support the development of new quality productive forces led by sci-tech innovation, the import tariffs on cycloolefin polymers, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, and automatic transmissions for special-purpose vehicles such as fire trucks and repair vehicles will be reduced; In order to improve people's livelihood, the import tariffs on sodium zirconium cyclosilicate for medicine, viral vectors for CAR-T tumor therapy, and nickel-titanium alloy wires for surgical implants will be reduced; In order to promote green and low-carbon development, the import tariffs on ethane and some recycled copper and aluminum raw materials will be reduced.

In order to expand the global high-standard free trade zone network, China will implement agreed tariff rates on some imported goods originating from 34 countries or regions in 2025, under the guidance of 24 free trade agreements and preferential trade arrangements.

The announcement said that to support the least developed countries, the 43 least-developed countries with diplomatic relations with China will benefit from zero tariffs on 100 percent of the items imported by China.

In 2025, China will also continue to implement preferential tariffs on some imported goods originating from Bangladesh, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar in accordance with the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement and the intergovernmental exchange of notes between China and relevant ASEAN member states.

"Actively building a global free trade zone network is a manifestation of our commitment as a major country to uphold the multilateral trade system and WTO rules. We will promote the world to further develop towards globalization and multilateralism to serve the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind," said Gao Lingyun, a research fellow with the Institute of World Economics and Politics under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

China to adjust import tariff rates, items on certain goods for 2025

China to adjust import tariff rates, items on certain goods for 2025

China to adjust import tariff rates, items on certain goods for 2025

China to adjust import tariff rates, items on certain goods for 2025

Colombia's Transport Minister Maria Fernanda Rojas on Friday said that flights between her country and Venezuela's capital city Caracas are being targeted by cyber attacks, forcing some Colombian carriers to temporarily suspend services to Venezuela.

"Deceptive signals are being emitted, cyber attacks are taking place, signals are being sent that are intended to deceive GPS positioning equipment," Rojas said in a post to social media platform X on the U.S. attempt to close the Venezuelan airspace, warning that "this has crossed all boundaries."

She called for statements from the International Civil Aviation Organization and other international bodies, declaring that technological sabotage of any civil aviation operation anywhere in the world constitutes a crime.

"We cannot allow this [to happen]. The international community cannot allow this today. Today it is Venezuela, tomorrow it could be Colombia or any other country in the world," the minister added.

Rojas said that flight operations between Colombia and Venezuela will continue.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Colombia said it had held meetings with the Colombian foreign ministry and the affected domestic airline companies to solve the issue as soon as possible.

On Wednesday and Thursday, multiple airline companies such as Panama's Copa Airlines, the Bolivian Aviation, and Colombia's low-budget Wingo all announced suspension of Caracas-bounded flights due to pilot reports on GPS signal disruptions.

The flight irregularities followed U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement a week ago, in which he threatened to close the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela "in its entirety," as his administration continued to ramp up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government. Trump's threat has been met with strong condemnation from Venezuela and other countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region.

Colombia says Caracas-bound flights threatened by cyber attacks