The United States and China have released mutually agreed lists covering $30 billion in imports in each direction that could receive lower tariffs under an agreement reached during Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington last week. The lists, published on September 23, include 77 categories of Chinese goods entering the U.S. and 1,619 categories of U.S. goods entering China, covering products designated as “non-sensitive” based on 2024 trade values.
Both sides agreed to extend a trade truce for an additional two months, maintaining lower tariffs and continued access to rare earth minerals. However, no effective date for the tariff reductions has been announced, and implementation remains contingent on completing domestic legal procedures in both countries. The agreement does not address broader disputes such as technology restrictions, trade imbalances, or military tensions.
Key Details of the Tariff-Relief Lists
The U.S. list includes goods such as toys, fireworks, blankets, tableware, artificial flowers, child safety seats, and holiday decorations. China’s list covers agricultural products, seafood, timber, personal-care items, medical equipment, and coal. Products outside these approved categories are not covered by the tariff reductions.
Agricultural products feature prominently on China’s list, with wheat, corn, sorghum, meat, seafood, and dairy products included. However, ordinary commercial soybeans are excluded, though soybean oil, soybean meal, and soybeans for cultivation are covered. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted that China had met its soybean-purchase commitment for 2024 but lagged on other agricultural products.
More than 90% of the covered goods in China’s list will receive the country’s “most-favored-nation” tariff rate, according to China’s Commerce Ministry. The ministry stated that the two governments would implement the reductions simultaneously after completing their respective legal procedures.
Limited Scope and Ongoing Negotiations
The tariff-relief arrangement applies only to goods classified as “non-sensitive,” totaling approximately $60 billion in two-way trade. The lists do not include major industrial or high-tech products, leaving key sectors such as semiconductors and advanced manufacturing unaffected. Publication of the lists does not immediately lower tariffs; both countries must still finalize domestic approval processes before the reductions take effect.
Analysts described the summit’s outcomes as more symbolic than substantive, with both sides using the event to signal willingness to engage while avoiding major concessions. Cameron Johnson, a Shanghai-based senior partner at Tidal Wave Solutions, told CNBC that the agreements reflected an acknowledgment that neither side could fully decouple from the other in critical sectors like technology.
Reactions and Broader Context
The summit took place amid ongoing tensions over technology restrictions, trade practices, and military posturing, including concerns about Chinese hacking, intellectual property theft, and China’s military expansion in the Indo-Pacific. While the tariff-relief lists represent a step toward easing trade tensions, they do not resolve deeper disputes.
Gordon Chang, a China analyst and author, argued that the summit’s ceremonial aspects—such as the red-carpet welcome for Xi—risked legitimizing the Chinese government without addressing its policies. Others, including Scott Kennedy of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, suggested that maintaining dialogue, even with symbolic gestures, could help prevent further escalation.
President Donald Trump framed the meeting as an opportunity to foster cooperation, emphasizing the potential for progress despite longstanding disagreements. The White House highlighted the $30 billion tariff rollback as a tangible outcome, though critics noted that the reductions apply only to a narrow range of goods and do not address structural trade imbalances.
Next Steps and Unresolved Issues
The two governments have not set a timeline for implementing the tariff reductions, and further negotiations are expected to refine the lists and address outstanding trade barriers. The extension of the trade truce provides a temporary buffer, but key disputes—such as restrictions on advanced semiconductor exports to China and China’s industrial subsidies—remain unresolved.
Analysts caution that without broader agreements, the tariff-relief measures may have limited impact on the overall trade relationship. The lists, while a step toward de-escalation, underscore the challenges of balancing competition with cooperation in one of the world’s most consequential economic relationships.