The US Postal Service (USPS) yesterday announced that it had suspended accepting parcels from mainland China and Hong Kong until further notice, before reversing the move. Letters remain unaffected. The refusal to accept packages coincided with new regulations closing the “de minimis” loophole, which previously allowed packages valued at $800 or less to enter the U.S. without taxes or fees. This followed Trump’s implementation of a 10% tariff on all Chinese imports. In response, China announced retaliatory measures including a 15% levy on U.S. coal and LNG, and 10% tariffs on crude oil, agricultural machinery, and large-engine cars, effective February 10. The “de minimis” exemption previously benefited Chinese e-commerce giants Shein and Temu.