The latest, the United States exempts 15 categories of Chinese furniture, bedding tariffs

It is reported that since July 2018, the U.S. government has imposed tariffs on goods imported from China under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. However, on October 8, 2021, the Office of the United States Trade Representative announced that it intends to re-exempt tariffs on 549 Chinese imports and is seeking public comment on this.

Foreign media analysis, because the United States has been facing high inflation pressure recently, the tariff burden has exacerbated the product supply crisis, and the US government has been under pressure from companies and lawmakers of various parties to reduce the tariff burden, so the US government has accelerated several exemptions. Tariff legislation process.

After a lapse of five months, the Office of the US Trade Representative officially announced on the 23rd of this month that it confirmed the confirmation of 352 of the 549 items of Chinese imports previously planned to be exempted from tariffs.

According to the Federal Register notice, a list of 352 items exempted from tariffs on imports from China, in part covering furniture and bedding items.

The following are the details of some furniture and bedding products exempted from import duties:

(1) Upholstered seats with wooden frames (other than those made of rattan, wicker, bamboo or similar materials);

(2) Stackable upholstered metal chairs for religious places of worship;

(3) Unassembled upholstered chairs with metal frames and unassembled unupholstered chairs (other than residential chairs), the shell of which is plastic or wood for the seat and back;

(4) Parts of the child safety seat;

(5) Semi-finished parts of plywood chairs, including armrests, body and legs;

(6) Residential furniture of metal and high-pressure bamboo laminates (excluding children's furniture or children's bed frames, ironing boards);

(7) A foldable table with a steel or aluminum frame, with a table top made of aluminum;

(8) Bench frame of cast aluminum;

(9) Components made of metal and rubber for folding chair bases;

(10) Metal chair frames, each with an integrated bookshelf, stackable;

(11) Plastic showerheads of fixed, hand-held, height-adjustable, or combinations thereof, and components of such showerheads;

(12) Crib liner;

(13) Knitted polyester fabric dust cover specially designed for mattresses and pillows;

(14) Cotton pillowcase;

(15) Fabric shade on metal frame.

It is not difficult to see that in terms of furniture materials, most of the furniture products exempted from tariffs are mainly made of metal, steel and aluminum, and a few are wooden furniture. This also shows that U.S. importers and retailers are deeply bound to Chinese manufacturers. Under the pressure of tariffs, the additional costs faced by Chinese export furniture are largely absorbed by consumers, Chinese manufacturers, and U.S. imports. It is digested by both merchants and retailers.

However, from a macro perspective, the United States still imposes high tariffs on many Chinese goods. In terms of ceramics and ceramic tile products, the United States still imposes extremely high anti-dumping duties and countervailing duties on China.