US-China Tariff Truce Runs to January 10, 2027: What Importers Should Do
The US-China tariff truce got a two-month extension, but two Section 301 deadlines hit first. Here is how importers should plan the next 75 days.
In this report 7 sections
The US-China tariff truce now runs to January 10, 2027, after a two-month extension announced on September 23. The extension does not settle everything. Section 301 exclusions and a port-fee suspension are set to expire on November 9, so importers should keep a duty contingency plan alive now.
This guide is for importers, sourcing leads, and finance teams who buy goods made in China. Laneage covers trade and logistics for shippers, and this article focuses on the dates and budget moves that matter in the next 75 days.
What Did the September Summit Actually Decide?
The summit produced an extension and a framework, not a final deal. According to C.H. Robinson's October 2026 trade and tariff update, both governments agreed to a "30-for-30" framework that could lower tariffs on about $30 billion of non-sensitive goods from each side. A new U.S.-China Board of Trade would handle ongoing negotiations.
The same update says the tariff truce, which had been set to expire in November, is extended to January 10, 2027. It describes the relationship as controlled competition rather than lasting stability. That is a fair reading. Nothing in the framework cuts a single duty rate today.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the extension on September 23. FreightFigures reported on September 24 that Beijing had not publicly confirmed it yet, and that Bessent said a larger package by January is possible, as is a simple rollover.
Why does this matter to a shipper, not just a trade lawyer? Because tariff headlines move freight. When importers expect a deadline, they pull orders forward, and that lifts bookings on the Trans-Pacific lane. The same C.H. Robinson update points to rollovers and tight space on Asia to North America sailings after Golden Week.
Which Deadline Comes First?
The first deadline is November 9, not January 10. FreightFigures reports that 178 Section 301 product exclusions expire at 11:59 p.m. Eastern on November 9, 2026. The suspension of Section 301 port fees on Chinese-owned, operated, and built vessels runs through the same date.
Extending either one requires a new notice from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). As of that September 24 report, no Federal Register notice and no Customs and Border Protection (CBP) guidance had been issued. The report calls an extension the likely base case, but it names three risks: timing, scope, and the truce itself.
The timing risk is real. The article notes that the last extension of these exclusions was published a day after the old deadline passed. Importers whose cargo lands in that gap could pay duty they later try to recover.
| Date | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| November 9, 2026 | 178 Section 301 exclusions and port-fee suspension set to expire | Audit entries that claim the exclusion |
| November 10, 2026 | Old truce expiry date, now moved | Keep the contingency budget until a notice posts |
| January 1, 2027 | Planned 50% U.S. tariffs on Canadian autos, auto parts, and steel | Review North American sourcing |
| January 10, 2027 | New truce expiry | Decide Q1 purchase timing |
| February 6, 2027 | Chinese New Year | Pull forward orders that cannot wait |
How Much Do These Layers Add to a Landed Cost?
The layers add up fast. FreightFigures gives an illustrative stack for a $100,000 China-origin entry with a 3% general rate. Today that comes to 40.5% in total duty, or $40,500, and 15.5% if the product is excluded.
If the reported 7.5% excess-capacity Section 301 duty is added and exclusions are extended, the total reaches 48% ($48,000), or 23% for excluded goods. If the exclusions lapse on November 10, the total is 48% either way. The article labels these as illustrations, and your actual rate depends on your product classification.
The numbers show why an exclusion lapse matters more than the truce date for many importers. On excluded goods, the difference between 15.5% and 48% is 32.5 points of landed cost. For a brand with a 40% gross margin, that can erase the profit on a whole shipment.
Our explainer on how Section 301 tariffs work and who pays them covers the basics. If you are claiming an exclusion today, our walkthrough on filing for a tariff exclusion shows what documentation you should already have on file.
There is also a timing detail worth checking. An entry is subject to the duty rate in force when it is entered or withdrawn, not when the purchase order was signed. A container that left the factory in October can land under a different rule than the one you priced. Ask your broker to flag every shipment that arrives within a week of a deadline.
What Should Importers Do Before November 9?
Importers should audit, then plan, then price. The FreightFigures playbook offers a useful order of operations for covered cargo. Here is a condensed version, with an added budget step:
- Pull every entry line that has claimed the exclusion heading 9903.88.69 since November 30, 2025.
- Keep your November contingency plan until USTR publishes an extension notice.
- For covered cargo arriving after November 9 without a notice, ask your customs broker about a Type 21 bonded entry, which lets you withdraw goods once the extension takes effect.
- Remember that duty is set by the rate on the withdrawal date, so time withdrawals ahead of any new duty.
- Price your next purchase orders on a middle duty scenario and hold cash for the high one.
Talk to a licensed customs broker before you act on any of this. Bonded entry rules and exclusion claims are technical, and the FreightFigures piece itself notes it is not legal advice.
Finance should own the scenario sheet, but operations should feed it. Buyers know which orders can slip a week, and planners know which SKUs are close to a stockout. Put both inputs in one place. When a notice drops, you can update one cell and see the effect on margin and cash across the whole catalog.
Is It Time to Move Sourcing Out of China?
Not for every product, and not overnight. A move takes qualification time, tooling, and cash. What you can do now is reduce single-country exposure on the products with the thinnest margins.
Our guide to dual sourcing shows how to split volume without losing leverage. A common starting point is 20% to 30% of volume with a second supplier. That is enough to keep the second factory warm without hurting your price at the first.
North America is not a safe harbor either. C.H. Robinson's update notes a U.S. tariff dispute with Canada, including a planned round of 50% tariffs on Canadian autos, auto parts, and steel on January 1, 2027. Our checklist on the Section 338 Canada import ban covers the other side of that story. Diversifying within North America still helps, but it needs its own tariff scenario.
What Will Carriers and Customers Notice?
Carriers will notice the calendar before anyone else. January 10 lands in the pre-holiday shipping rush ahead of Chinese New Year on February 6, 2027. Importers who wait for the deadline to decide may find space tight and rates firm.
Customers notice price. If you plan to pass on part of a duty increase, decide the policy early and apply it by product line. A surprise mid-quarter price change does more damage than a modest increase announced with notice.
Finance teams should also watch carrying costs. C.H. Robinson reports that IRS customs interest rates effective October 1, 2026 are unchanged at 7% for underpayments. If a duty dispute leaves you owing money after the fact, that interest adds to the bill.
Keep one more point in mind. The framework may lower some duties, and importers of the right products could benefit. The U.S. list reported so far leans toward consumer goods and some outdoor recreation items. Check your tariff lines against any published list rather than assuming relief, and do not bank savings until an effective date is announced.
Last, tell your suppliers what you are planning. Factories in China are watching the same dates and often hold flexible capacity before deadlines. A short conversation about earlier production slots or split shipments can give you options that a purchase order alone will not.
Conclusion
The truce extension buys time, but it does not remove risk. The first real test is November 9, when the Section 301 exclusions and port-fee suspension are set to expire without a new USTR notice. January 10 matters too, mostly because it lands just before Chinese New Year.
Your next step is a one-page duty scenario sheet for each product line, plus an audit of entries that rely on an exclusion. Laneage will keep following USTR and CBP notices as they publish.
