USPS temporarily suspends accepting packages from China and Hong Kong

The United States Postal Service announced Tuesday night that it is temporarily suspending accepting packages sent from China and Hong Kong until further notice.

The suspension is effective immediately, the USPS said. Letters and flats are not included in the suspension, it said.

The postal service did not provide a reason for the suspension or say how long it expects it to last.

Earlier Tuesday, Beijing announced it would counter President Trump’s new 10% tariff on Chinese goods with retaliatory tariffs of its own. China said starting next Monday it would implement a 15% tariff on coal and liquefied natural gas products along with a 10% tariff on crude oil, agricultural machinery and large-engine cars imported from the U.S.

Mr. Trump’s tariff increase also eliminated a duty-free exemption for low-value packages coming from China. The “de minimis” exemption allows goods valued at $800 or below to come into the United States without paying duties or certain taxes.

But it has faced scrutiny due to a surge in shipments claiming the exemption in recent years.

U.S. officials pointed to the growth of Chinese-founded online retailers Shein and Temu as a key factor behind this increase — and Tuesday’s halt could delay parcels from both companies from entering the country.

U.S. officials have also said the growth in shipments makes it harder to screen goods for security risks.

Mr. Trump says he plans to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the coming days.