The 2026 Tariff Rate Adjustment Plan Officially Implemented; 935 Items of Goods Enjoy Import Benefits

The State Council’s Customs Department recently announced the “2026 Customs Tariff Adjustment Plan,” which officially came into effect on January 1. This reform aims to promote high-quality economic development by optimizing tariff classifications and adjusting tariff rates, creating favorable conditions for industrial upgrading and green transformation.

The tariff rate adjustments cover a wide range of areas, including strategic industries such as technological innovation, environmental friendliness, and healthcare. According to the plan, 935 items have been included in the scope of provisional import tariff preferences, below the Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariff level, including semiconductors and electronic components, resources related to new energy and green transformation, as well as key medical devices and other strategic materials.

Import Tariff Optimization Benefits Key Industries

The new policy not only adjusts import tariffs but also reorganizes certain products. Some items such as micro motors and printing equipment will no longer be eligible for provisional tariff preferences and will revert to MFN rates. These adjustments reflect the country’s strategy to dynamically optimize the tariff system based on current industrial development.

Meanwhile, the tariff classification system continues to expand, adding categories for emerging industries such as intelligent bionic robots and bio-based aviation fuel, bringing the total number of tariff items to 8,972, further refining product classification management.

Continued Preferential Treatment for Developing Countries and Stable Special Tariff Rates

Within the multilateral trade framework, the plan continues to implement zero-tariff preferential policies for 43 least developed countries, covering all products exported from these countries to China. This demonstrates the country’s support for global poverty reduction efforts and South-South cooperation.

Additionally, preferential tariff rates for imports from ASEAN member countries are maintained, strengthening regional economic and trade integration. The new tariff arrangements aim to maintain a mutually beneficial international trade environment while steadily advancing China’s tariff agreements with major trading partners.

This adjustment plan has entered the implementation stage and will have a substantive impact on import trade flows and industrial investment decisions.