This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
China has moved to ease the burden on its consumers by cutting tariffs on a range of imported goods, effective January 1, 2020, just weeks after a partial trade deal with the United States.
The decision, announced on December 20, 2019, by the Chinese government, comes as a relief to domestic consumers who have been bearing the brunt of the ongoing trade tensions with the US.
The list of 859 products that will face lower import levies includes frozen pork, pharmaceutical ingredients, high-tech components, and grocery items such as avocados, orange juice, and seafood.
China's move to lower tariffs on these products is seen as a strategic effort to buttress its claims of market openness, despite the ongoing trade tensions with the US.
As part of its efforts to lower trade barriers, China had previously announced a similar tariff cut in December 2018, which covered 706 products.
