China to impose port fees on US vessels, responding to US tariffs
3 Min Read
China has announced a retaliatory port fee on US-linked vessels docking at its ports, responding to the Trump administration’s new tariffs on Chinese ships.
-
A container is taken off a cargo ship at Yangluo Port in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, on May 23, 2025. (AP)
China announced on Friday that it will impose a special port fee on vessels owned or controlled by US entities docking at Chinese ports, in a direct countermeasure to the Trump administration’s newly implemented port charges on Chinese-built and Chinese-operated ships.
The Chinese Ministry of Transportation said the fee will apply to vessels owned by United States companies, organizations, or individuals, as well as ships in which US entities hold 25% or more equity or those sailing under the US flag, starting Tuesday. The ministry added that the measure seeks to “safeguard China’s legitimate maritime and trade interests” in response to “unilateral and discriminatory actions” taken by Washington.
Retaliation for US maritime tariffs
The announcement follows the United States’ decision earlier this year to introduce steep port fees targeting Chinese-linked vessels under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
That US policy, rolled out by the Office of the US Trade Representative, imposes phased fees on ships either built in China or operated by Chinese companies, with rates starting at $50 per net ton and set to rise to $140 per net ton by 2028. Washington has justified the tariffs as part of efforts to “revitalize the US shipbuilding industry” and “counter unfair Chinese practices.”
Beijing, however, has condemned the US move as protectionist and destabilizing, warning that it would raise global shipping costs, disrupt supply chains, and increase inflationary pressures worldwide. Chinese officials have also argued that the tariffs will fail to boost American shipyards, which have struggled for decades to compete with Asia’s large-scale maritime manufacturing capacity.
Read more: NYT: China responds to Trump's tariffs via adaptation, leverage
China’s broader countermeasures
The special port fee is part of a broader framework recently approved by Chinese authorities, allowing retaliatory maritime measures against countries that impose discriminatory restrictions on its shipping sector.
According to the new rules, Beijing reserves the right to restrict access to Chinese ports, suspend maritime services, or apply additional charges on foreign vessels as deemed necessary.
“The United States’ actions undermine the principles of fair competition and the stability of international shipping,” the ministry said in a statement, emphasizing that China’s response is “lawful, measured, and reciprocal.”
The reciprocal tariffs mark the latest escalation in the ongoing US–China economic confrontation, which has expanded beyond technology and manufacturing into global logistics and shipping.
Read more: China warns US tariffs bringing instability, uncertainty to the world
