The United States Postal Service (USPS) has announced the suspension of incoming international parcels from China and Hong Kong until further notice, a move that could significantly impact major e-commerce platforms such as Shein, Temu, and Alibaba.
While the reason for the suspension remains unclear, the USPS stated on Tuesday that the flow of letters and flats from China and Hong Kong would not be affected.
“Effective Feb. 4, the Postal Service will temporarily suspend only international package acceptance of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong Posts until further notice. Note the flow of letters and flats from China and Hong Kong will not be impacted,” the statement read.
This development comes just days after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order terminating the “de minimis” exemption, a long-standing provision that allowed shipments valued under $800 to enter the United States duty-free and without customs inspections.
Additionally, the suspension follows the implementation of a broad-based 10% tariff on Chinese imports, which took effect on Tuesday, further straining trade relations between the two economic giants.
With the new regulations in place, major e-commerce players like Shein, Temu, and Alibaba, which rely heavily on direct-to-consumer shipping from China, may face significant disruptions in their U.S. operations.
The combination of increased tariffs and postal restrictions could lead to delays, increased costs, and potential supply chain adjustments for these companies.
