China’s Ministry of Transport has announced that vessels owned or registered by U.S. companies, organizations, and individuals will be subject to additional port fees starting October 14. The measure, approved by the State Council, is widely seen as a geopolitical counterreaction to trade policies pursued by the Trump administration.
The decision comes shortly after the United States imposed new tariffs on Chinese goods — a move that Beijing has condemned as unfair economic pressure. Washington’s step is closely tied to China’s export control measures aimed at limiting the sale of strategic materials, such as rare metals and minerals, essential for high-tech industries. Western analysts have described China’s restrictions as an attempt to disrupt U.S. supply chains that heavily depend on Chinese raw materials.
In this context, China’s plan to gradually raise port fees between 2025 and 2028 — from 400 to 1,120 yuan per ton — reflects Beijing’s long-term strategy. On one hand, it mirrors U.S. tariffs with a symmetrical response; on the other, it preserves policy flexibility, allowing the government to adjust both the rate and scope of the fees as needed.
The administrative framework of the new fee is also notable. The charge will increase with each ship’s first annual entry and will apply no more than five times per year — a structure designed to limit disruptions in international shipping and avoid destabilizing global trade networks.
China’s Ministry of Transport added that the country will continue to take reciprocal actions within the framework of law, a diplomatically phrased warning that signals Beijing’s readiness for further economic countermeasures if necessary.
According to the analytical firm Linerlytica, Chinese shipping operators active in the U.S. market could face around $1.15 billion in fees in the first year alone, compared to just $180 million for U.S. companies — highlighting the asymmetry in tariff impacts that China aims to offset with proportional measures.
Meanwhile, the China Shipowners’ Association has urged the government to adopt tougher steps, including imposing additional charges on foreign vessels and implementing targeted counterreactions if required.
Data from Alphaliner shows that by 2026, U.S. tariffs will cost the world’s leading shipping companies roughly $3.2 billion, with China’s state-owned COSCO Group expected to be among the hardest hit due to its extensive fleet operating between China and the United States.
The issue is expected to be a key topic during the upcoming meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this month. Experts predict that the escalating port fee dispute will mark a new phase in trade relations, where economic measures increasingly evolve into geopolitical instruments.
