On December 19, many countries made significant adjustments to their tariff policies on Chinese goods and updated the tax policies for cross-border e-commerce platforms. These changes have attracted widespread attention from the international community.
In the United States, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced that it would increase tariffs on solar silicon wafers, polysilicon, and certain tungsten products imported from China starting next year. Tariffs on solar silicon wafers and polysilicon will rise to 50%, while tariffs on certain tungsten products will increase to 25%. These changes will take effect on January 1, 2025. The U.S. government emphasized that these products are widely used in key industries, and China dominates global tungsten production. Polysilicon exports are also mainly concentrated in Southeast Asia. Previously, the U.S. had increased tariffs on solar cells from China from 25% to 50%.
Saudi Arabia announced that it would impose anti-dumping duties ranging from 18.12% to 34% on sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde (SNF) imported from China and Russia, effective from December 3, 2024, for a period of five years. The demand for SNF in the Middle East is strong, and Saudi Arabia's decision aims to protect its domestic industry.
In Mexico, the Mexican National Tax Service announced that, starting January 1, 2025, a 16% value-added tax (VAT) will be imposed on all foreign companies selling goods through e-commerce platforms. This policy aims to increase government tax revenue and strengthen oversight of foreign e-commerce platforms.
In Vietnam, the Vietnamese Parliament passed an amendment to its tax law, eliminating the tax exemption for low-cost imported goods. The amendment also plans to increase the VAT rate to 10% starting July 1, 2025. Additionally, cross-border e-commerce platforms will be required to withhold and pay taxes on behalf of sellers.
The European Union is considering imposing new taxes on parcels from cross-border e-commerce platforms and charging administrative processing fees in response to the surge in low-value parcels. EU officials are concerned about the impact of cheap imports on local businesses and have proposed removing the 150-euro tariff exemption threshold.
In Thailand, the Thai Ministry of Finance announced that it would conduct a 100% inspection of Chinese imports to create a fairer market environment.
In Indonesia, the Indonesian police, in cooperation with the Ministry of Trade, seized illegal Chinese ceramics and tableware worth 9.8 billion rupiah. The Indonesian government has previously adopted measures to restrict imports, raise tariffs, and establish a special task force to regulate various industries in order to protect the local market.