U.S. Proposes Two-Month Extension to China Shipping Fee Truce

The Office of the United States Trade Representative proposed a two-month extension to a truce that suspends reciprocal port charges on Chinese-linked ships calling at American ports. If approved, the pause on these fees will be prolonged from early November until January 9, 2027.

The original agreement suspended tit-for-tat charges imposed by Washington and Beijing in 2025, which had increased freight costs and forced shipping companies to reorganize global operations. This specific extension follows a broader trade truce announced last month during Chinese President Xi Jinping's first visit to the United States in 11 years.

General counsel Jennifer Thornton issued the notice regarding the extension. The U.S. government stated it is continuing to engage with China with the goal of obtaining the elimination of the acts, policies, and practices at issue in the investigation.