US-China Extend Trade Truce, Giving Importers More Time to Prepare

For businesses importing products into the United States, the tariff rate that applies today may not necessarily be the rate they are planning around tomorrow.

That uncertainty has been highlighted again this week as the United States and China continue negotiations over their trade relationship.

On 23 September 2026, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US and China had agreed to extend their existing trade truce by two months. The extension gives both sides additional time to work towards a broader trade agreement ahead of further discussions between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The development follows months of changes to US-China tariffs, including periods of significant increases, reductions and temporary arrangements. Reuters reported that the current truce had previously been due to expire on 10 November.

For importers, changing tariff arrangements raise an important practical question:

What happens to products that have already been ordered, shipped or entered when the applicable tariff rules change?

Tariff changes don't necessarily stop at future shipments

When tariff rates or exclusions change, businesses may need to determine which shipments and customs entries are affected.

The answer can depend on factors such as:

• When the goods entered the United States
• The applicable HTSUS classification
• Country of origin
• The tariff measure in effect at the time
• Whether a product qualifies for an exclusion
• Whether duties have already been paid
• Whether a customs entry can be corrected

Recent CBP guidance provides an example of how these changes can affect existing entries.

In September, CBP issued guidance relating to amendments to certain Section 301 China product exclusions and corresponding HTSUS statistical reporting categories. CBP stated that importers who paid Section 301 duties on certain affected products between 1 July and 22 September 2026 may be able to seek refunds through a Post Summary Correction, subject to applicable requirements and deadlines.

Why timing matters

For an ecommerce business, a tariff change can affect more than the cost of its next shipment.

Businesses may also need to review inventory that is already in transit, recent customs entries and previously calculated landed costs.

For example, if a product was imported while an additional tariff applied and that tariff treatment subsequently changed, the business may need to determine whether the change affects any previous entries.

Likewise, if a tariff exclusion expires, is amended or becomes applicable to a particular product classification, future shipments may need to be reviewed before they are imported.

The challenge for businesses with large catalogues

For businesses managing a handful of products, manually checking tariff updates may be manageable.

For businesses selling hundreds or thousands of SKUs, the process becomes considerably more complex.

A tariff update may require a business to identify:

• Which products are affected?
• Which countries of origin are involved?
• Which HTSUS classifications apply?
• Which shipments or customs entries fall within the relevant period?
• Has the correct amount of duty been paid?
• Does anything need to be corrected or reviewed?

These questions can become particularly difficult when businesses sell across multiple markets and regularly introduce new products.

Why ongoing tariff monitoring matters

The latest US-China developments demonstrate that international trade rules can continue to evolve through negotiations, new measures, exclusions and amendments. Reuters reported on 23 September that the two countries were seeking additional time to work on a potentially broader trade deal rather than allowing the existing truce to expire immediately.

For global sellers, this means tariff compliance is not necessarily a one-time exercise.

Businesses may need processes that allow them to:

• Monitor changes
• Identify affected products
• Review tariff classifications
• Recalculate potential duties
• Check existing customs entries
• Identify potential correction opportunities
• Update landed-cost assumptions

How Gloco can help

Keeping track of tariff changes across a large product catalogue can be difficult to manage manually.

Gloco helps global sellers assess and manage product-level compliance, including tariffs, customs duties, licensing and IP considerations.

Businesses can provide a product link and use Gloco's AI-powered platform to identify relevant compliance risks. Gloco also supports customs duty calculation and documentation, helping businesses understand potential import costs before products enter a market.

The platform also provides ongoing monitoring and weekly alerts for risk items and compliance deadlines, helping businesses keep track of regulatory developments after their initial compliance assessment.

As US trade policy continues to develop, businesses importing from China and other markets may need to look beyond the tariff rate attached to their next shipment.

For global sellers, knowing what tariff applies is important. Knowing when that tariff changes, which products it affects and what action may be required is part of staying compliant.