U.S. to pause port fees on China ships next week

[China and USA]
pengpeng

The U.S. will suspend port fees for a year on China-linked vessels starting Nov. 10, marking a step toward easing maritime tensions that had become a flashpoint in the trade war.

The two countries began imposing new port fees on each other’s vessels in mid-October, targeting ocean carriers that transport goods ranging from holiday merchandise to crude oil.

At the time, Chinese state media accused the U.S. of violating a bilateral maritime transport agreement by levying duties on Chinese ships. In response, China imposed a fee of 400 yuan ($56) per net ton on U.S.-linked vessels docking at its ports, according to CCTV.

According to a White House fact sheet [https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/11/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-strikes-deal-on-economic-and-trade-relations-with-china/] dated November 1, the U.S. will pause measures aimed at curbing China’s dominance in global shipping, while Beijing will suspend its retaliatory fees in return.

The move follows last week’s trade truce between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping, which included cooperation on issues spanning semiconductors, rare earths, and agricultural trade.

The reciprocal port fees had threatened to disrupt global shipping, raise freight costs, and slow commodity flows, including oil. During the suspension period, Washington plans to negotiate with Beijing over its maritime industry probe, while pursuing shipbuilding opportunities with South Korea and Japan.

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