U.S. consumers to feel pinch as duty-free treatment for cheap parcels from China ends

U.S. consumers will see higher prices and slower deliveries after Friday's expiration of a duty-free treatment for Chinese imports under 800 U.S. dollars, known as the de minimis threshold.

According to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on April 2, starting from Friday (May 2), imported goods from China entering the U.S. through means outside the international postal network, which are valued at or under 800 U.S. dollars and would otherwise qualify for the de minimis exemption, will be subject to all applicable duties, which should be paid in accordance with applicable entry and payment procedures.

The order also leaves all relevant postal items containing goods from China sent through the international postal network, which are valued at or under 800 dollars and would otherwise qualify for the de minimis exemption, subject to a duty rate of either 30 percent of their value or 25 dollars per item (increasing to 50 dollars per item after June 1). It adds that this is in lieu of any other duties, including those imposed by prior orders.

It's estimated that the U.S. receives nearly four million low-value packages every day, most of which come from China. According to a report from the Congressional Research Services of the United States, low-value packages from China have skyrocketed from 5.3 billion dollars in 2018 to 66 billion dollars in 2023.

In response, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce has stated that the U.S. adjustment on its tariff policy on low-value imports is destructive and will seriously affect the interests of American consumers.

The ministry said that any adjustment to cross-border e-commerce should aim to bring more convenience to consumers.

The de minimis provision, which was introduced in 1938 for shipments of five U.S. dollars or less, allows low-value parcels to enter the U.S. tax free. In 2016, that threshold was increased to 800 dollars.

The policy was intended to reduce the administrative burden for U.S. customs, speed up e-commerce flow for both retailers and consumers, and encourage cross-border trade by lowering barriers for cheaper items.

U.S. consumers to feel pinch as duty-free treatment for cheap parcels from China ends

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday that the country is at a critical stage and must achieve national unity, emphasizing that maintaining internal cohesion is of utmost importance.

In a televised address, Rodriguez called on the public to continue trusting the government under the current highly complex political circumstances.

Her statement comes in the wake of a January 3 military operation conducted by the United States, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and flown out of the country.

The operation resulted in at least 100 fatalities.

Rodriguez, who was sworn in as acting president two days later on January 5, framed her appeal for unity against this backdrop of external intervention.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Minister of Communication and Information Freddy Nanez denounced the U.S. actions as a "war crime of the 21st century" when speaking at an international cultural event on Sunday.

Nanez condemned not only the January 3 airstrikes but also the associated cyber and electromagnetic attacks.

He accused the United States of violating international law through the forced removal of President Maduro and his wife, while attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, represent a flagrant breach of humanitarian norms.

He reiterated that the stigmatization and military attacks against Venezuela are driven by economic interests, particularly the desire to control its abundant natural resources.

Venezuelan acting president calls for national unity amid complex situation