Recent updates indicate that the Tariff Commission of the State Council has released the "2025 Tariff Adjustment Plan" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"). Adhering to a principle of steady progress, the plan aims to orderly expand unilateral and autonomous openness by adjusting import tariff rates on certain goods and adding or revising some tariff lines. This Plan went into effect at the start of the New Year in 2025, with expectations to promote the introduction of high-quality products, stimulate Chinese consumption, drive high-level opening up to the outside world, and support high-quality development.
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To enhance the interaction between Chinese and foreign markets and resources, starting from 2025, 935 products will benefit from temporary rates lower than the most-favored-nation treatment. These measures span various sectors: Firstly, to encourage technological innovation, import tariffs like cycloolefin polymers, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, and special-purpose vehicles have been reduced. Secondly, aimed at improving people's livelihoods, tariffs on some medical products have been lowered. Additionally, in response to calls for green and low-carbon development, tariffs on imports such as ethane and specific recycled copper and aluminum materials have also been decreased. Moreover, within the framework of China’s commitments to the World Trade Organization, based on industrial conditions and demand changes, tariffs on certain imports have been increased.
In building a global network of high-standard free trade zones, in 2025, agreement rates will be applied to imports originating from 34 countries or regions under 24 free trade agreements and preferential trade arrangements. Notably, the "China-Maldives Free Trade Agreement" will take effect on January 1, 2025, gradually reducing import tariffs to eventually achieve near-zero tariffs on almost 96% of goods between both sides.
Continuing to support the least developed countries that have established diplomatic relations with China, a policy offering zero import tariffs on all commodities will be provided to 43 such nations. Additionally, according to the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement and agreements with ASEAN member states, special preferential rates will continue to apply to imports from Bangladesh, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar.
To adapt to the needs of industrial development and technological advancement, new Chinese subheadings were introduced in 2025, including purely electric passenger cars, canned enoki mushrooms, spodumene, and ethane, while optimizing the naming descriptions of existing tariff lines like coconut juice and feed additives. To ensure the scientific nature and standardization of the tariff system, annotations for items such as dried purple laver, carbon enhancers, injection molding machines, baijiu (Chinese liquor), wood charcoal, and thermal print heads have been added or improved.
Through these adjustments, China demonstrates its commitment to precise management of import tariffs and support for international trade rules, which is expected to improve the quality and efficiency of economic development.
