Greenville Reporter

Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. has introduced the End China’s De Minimis Abuse Act in an effort to prevent China from evading tariffs on Chinese goods. The legislation aims to address the issue of Chinese firms avoiding tariffs on imports valued at under $800 through the De Minimis privilege.

"China must not be allowed to evade tariffs at the expense of American businesses and workers," stated Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. He emphasized the importance of updating the De Minimis law to ensure fair competition for American businesses and support the small business economy.

Chairman Jason Smith of the Ways and Means Committee also expressed support for the legislation, stating, “We can no longer tolerate China’s abuse of U.S. trade policy in order to dodge accountability and evade tariffs.” He highlighted the need to level the playing field and hold bad actors accountable in trade practices.

The background of the issue dates back to 2018 when President Trump imposed tariffs on Chinese imports under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1947. The De Minimis privilege allows goods valued at under $800 to be free of duty and tax, leading to many Chinese firms avoiding tariffs on imports below this threshold.

The End China’s De Minimis Abuse Act aims to put an end to De Minimis evasion of trade enforcement tariffs, enhance transparency and data collection on De Minimis entries in the supply chain, and introduce penalties for those violating U.S. law through De Minimis entries.