[SMM Analysis]US Extends Exemption Period for Certain Chinese Goods Under "Section 301" Tariffs

Published: Aug 29, 2025 14:51

Source: SMM

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[SMM Analysis]On August 28, 2025, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced a three-month extension of the "Section 301" tariff exclusions for certain Chinese goods. These tariffs originated from the US investigation into China's policies on technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation. The exclusions, originally set to expire on August 31, 2025, have now been extended until November 29, 2025.

August 28, 2025 – The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that tariff exclusions for certain Chinese-origin goods under Section 301 will be rolled forward for another three months. The underlying tariffs stem from Washington’s investigation into China’s technology-transfer, intellectual-property and innovation-related policies. The exclusions—previously set to expire on August 31, 2025—will now remain in force through November 29, 2025.

Background & Timeline

May 31, 2025: USTR extended these exclusions from their original sunset date to August 31, 2025.
August 28, 2025: A new Federal Register notice titled “USTR Extends Certain Exclusions from China Section 301 Tariffs” grants an additional 90-day reprieve.

Earlier extensions

May 2024: 164 narrowly defined product exclusions were prolonged, covering items such as specific electric motors, gas engines and various types of machinery.
September 2024: a separate 14-item exclusion list for solar-manufacturing equipment was likewise extended.

Impact on Importers & Stakeholders

Impact	Details
Short-term relief	Eligible Chinese-origin goods remain free of the 25 % Section 301 duty until November 29, 2025.
Greater flexibility	Importers gain extra time to adjust supply chains or sourcing strategies.
Ongoing uncertainty	USTR will continue reviewing stakeholder comments; further extensions or modifications remain possible. (Sources: EY, KPMG)
Customs guidance	U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will issue operational instructions on how to claim the exclusions at entry.

Practical Effect Any product on the published exclusion list that is entered—or withdrawn from warehouse—for consumption in the United States on or before November 29, 2025 may still claim duty-free treatment under Section 301. Importers need only file the required certification at the time of entry to secure the benefit.

Source document：FRN to Extend Exclusions to Nov 2025 - Final 08272025.pdf

SMM New Energy Industry Research Department

Cong Wang 021-51666838

Xiaodan Yu 021-20707870

Rui Ma 021-51595780

Disheng Feng 021-51666714

Yujun Liu 021-20707895

Yanlin Lü 021-20707875

Zhicheng Zhou 021-51666711

Haohan Zhang 021-51666752

Zihan Wang 021-51666914

Xiaoxuan Ren 021-20707866

Jie Wang 021-51595902

Yang Xu 021-51666760

Boling Chen 021-51666836

Import/Export

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