Chinese President Xi Jinping made a reciprocal state visit to Washington last week, meeting with President Donald Trump. The White House announced the new U.S.-China Board of Trade had reached a consensus on recommendations for more favorable tariff treatment on $30 billion of non-sensitive goods in each direction. The White House, Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Advances a Fair and Reciprocal Relationship with China While Hosting Historic State Visit (Sept. 25, 2026), https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/09/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-advances-a-fair-and-reciprocal-relationship-with-china-while-hosting-historic-state-visit/.
On September 27, the White House issued the Board of Trade’s Working Procedures and Terms of Reference for the “30-for-30” framework, along with the product lists for China and the U.S. The White House, U.S.-China Board of Trade (Sept. 27, 2026), https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2026/09/u-s-china-board-of-trade/.
Recommendations for Tariff Reductions
The lists identify the goods the U.S. and China “will consider” for reduced tariff treatment. Id. Both governments approved the lists, which were valued using the bilateral trade data for 2024. There are no set rates or effective dates, and the framework leaves future tariff reductions to each country’s domestic legal processes. The White House, Terms of Reference for the “30-for-30” Framework (Sept. 27, 2026), https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Terms-of-Reference-for-30-for-30-Framework.pdf. Nothing in the published documents changes the current duties that apply to listed goods.
What Is Covered
The U.S. list of 77 HTSUS subheadings covering Chinese consumer goods, including small appliances, toys, highchairs, and sporting goods. The White House, U.S. Import List (Sept. 27, 2026), https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/US-Public-List.pdf. Several entries cover only part of a subheading, identified as an “Ex-Out.” The toy entry excludes items enabled with radio-frequency, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or Bluetooth. Id.
China’s 1,619-line list centers on U.S. agricultural and food products, coal, cosmetics, wood products, and medical devices. The White House, China Import List (Sept. 27, 2026), https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/China-Import-List.pdf.
Other Commitments and the Broader Agreement
The White House also announced that China will import at least 10 million metric tons of coal from the U.S. in both 2027 and 2028. The Board of Trade launched an agricultural market access working group. Fact Sheet, supra.
Additionally, the two countries established a Board of Investment to discuss investment opportunities and barriers, and they continue to work on supply chain shortages related to rare earths and other critical minerals. Beyond trade, the fact sheet records Chinese controls on fentanyl precursor chemicals and other drug-enforcement steps, as well as cooperation on international summits. The U.S. and China also announced a “Super Intelligence” dialogue and a bilateral incident communication channel, with the next exchange to occur by November 2026. Id.
Practical Takeaways for Importers
- Map your products against the 77 HTSUS lines now, checking both the classification and any Ex-Out descriptions.
- Continue paying current rates. Monitor the Federal Register, HTSUS Chapter 99 amendments, and CBP’s Cargo Systems Messaging Service for rates and effective dates. You are looking for the implementing action, its effective date, and which duty layers it reaches.
- Keep potentially affected entry records accessible in case later guidance authorizes retroactive relief.
- The framework contemplates annual adjustments and possible expansion. Companies that want in should start building their trade data and policy case now.
Braumiller Law Group is tracking implementation in both Washington and Beijing. We can map your portfolio against both lists, model your duty exposure, and position you for the next round of adjustments.
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The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
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