Chinese importers and exporters have utilized several techniques to circumvent high U.S. tariffs, primarily involving the disguise of a product's origin or its value.
- Transshipment and Origin-Washing: This is the most common method, where goods are routed through a third country—such as , , , or —before being exported to the U.S..
- "Made in [Country]" Relabeling: Goods are repackaged or relabeled in these intermediate countries to appear as though they did not originate in China.
- Minimal Processing: Some firms perform token assembly or minor changes (e.g., adding a simple component) to claim "substantial transformation," which legally changes the country of origin under certain trade rules.
- De Minimis Loophole: Until recently, importers bypassed tariffs by shipping small, low-value parcels directly to consumers. Under the de minimis rule, shipments valued under $800 were exempt from duties. However, this exemption was largely eliminated for Chinese goods in May 2025.
- Customs Fraud and Undervaluation: Importers may artificially lower the declared value of goods on customs documents to reduce the total tariff paid, as tariffs are often a percentage of the product's value.
- Tariff Engineering and Misclassification: This involves misidentifying products under incorrect Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes that carry lower duty rates or modifying products slightly so they fall into a different, cheaper tax category.
- Phantom Importers (DDP Schemes): Some exporters use Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) arrangements and shell companies to act as the "importer of record". If authorities discover the fraud, they often find only a defunct shell firm with no reachable assets or personnel.
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