【By Observer News, Xiong Chaoran】In the new round of Sino-US trade confrontation that began this year, the U.S. unreasonably imposed port fees on Chinese vessels, which was immediately met with a strong countermeasure from China.

Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported on November 11 that the Trump administration had halted this "scheme" on the local time of November 10, while some Democrats started to stir up trouble, criticizing the move as weakening President Trump's tough stance toward China.

"Suspending or reducing the port fees established under Section 301 will only further delay the process of rebuilding this key industry in the United States," said Rajya Krishnamoorthi, the Democratic chief member of the U.S. House Committee on U.S.-China Strategic Competition (known as the "China Committee"), and another Democratic Congressman John Garamendi in a joint letter dated November 7 to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai. They claimed.

The two individuals argued that this move is a major setback to the efforts of both parties in recent years to revive this key industry. The 301 investigation should not become a bargaining chip in negotiations with China, and the Trump administration's continued plans for negotiations with China indicate that such "protective measures" "may be further weakened."

It wasn't just Democrats who came out against it. Although the shipping industry believes that suspending the port fees would reduce costs and promote trade, some unions have claimed that it may weaken America's maritime influence and send a "wrong signal" to China, conflicting with the previous high tone of the Trump administration toward China.

A container ship loaded with cargo moored at Oakland Port in California, USA. Oakland Port website

On the local time of November 6, the Trump administration announced that as part of a broader agreement to ease trade tensions, it formally finalized a plan to suspend the American port fees on Chinese vessels for one year. Bloomberg pointed out that this was a "key concession" made by Trump in trade negotiations with China.

According to reports, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) stated in a notice in the Federal Register that starting from November 10, all punitive measures taken against China under the "Section 301" trade investigation would be suspended. The South China Morning Post noted that the comment period for this notice was unusually short, lasting only one day, ending at the local time of November 7 afternoon.

Hunter Stires, a maritime consultant who previously served as a strategic advisor to the current U.S. Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan, claimed on social media on the local time of November 10 that the USTR's suspension of port fees was a "major strategic mistake."

"The U.S. canceling fees on over 10,000 Chinese vessels to exchange for China canceling fees on 183 American vessels is an obvious surrender disguised as 'reciprocal measures,' " he wrote.

The South China Morning Post believes that Stires' criticism highlights the growing opposition from U.S. lawmakers and industry professionals, who warn that suspending the port fees could harm America's long-term maritime interests, and even expressed "strong disappointment."

In fact, the implementation of port fees quickly disrupted the global shipping landscape, with some carriers adjusting their U.S. routes, rescheduling port plans, and reducing vessel capacity to alleviate financial pressure.

Supporters argue that the suspension of port fees provides much-needed relief for the shipping industry and helps stabilize global supply chains amid ongoing trade tensions.

"No matter which country levies port fees, they ultimately increase consumer costs and make the shipping industry a pawn in trade wars," said the American Shipping Association (CSA), representing 21 U.S. shipping companies, in a letter to Tai.

On October 14, the U.S. unreasonably imposed port fees on Chinese vessels, and China took countermeasures by imposing special port fees on American vessels. The South China Morning Post reported on October 21 that the dispute over port fees had already affected the global shipping industry, with industry insiders expecting that although the additional fees imposed by the U.S. increased the pressure on shipping companies, China's leading shipbuilding industry still held an advantage.

Joe Kramek, president of the World Shipping Council (WSC), previously stated, "Global trade functions best when it flows freely. The suspension of vessel-related fees between the U.S. and China is beneficial for exporters, importers, and consumers. Avoiding additional costs helps maintain trade competitiveness and ensures the smooth passage of critical waterways."

On October 30, the Ministry of Commerce spokesperson introduced the achievements reached by the Sino-U.S. economic and trade teams through the Kuala Lumpur consultations, where: the U.S. will suspend the implementation of its Section 301 investigation measures on China's maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding industries for one year. After the U.S. suspends the relevant measures, China will also correspondingly suspend its countermeasures against the U.S. for one year.

Previously, the Ministry of Commerce spokesperson had stated that the U.S. measures were a typical example of unilateralism and protectionism, seriously violating World Trade Organization rules, contradicting the principle of equality and mutual benefit in the Sino-U.S. Maritime Agreement, granting unfair competitive advantages to shipping and shipbuilding enterprises of certain countries, constituting discriminatory practices against China's shipping and shipbuilding industries, and severely damaging China's related industries. China strongly opposed this, and on October 10, it announced that it would impose special port fees on vessels involving U.S. flags, U.S.-built ships, or those owned, invested in, or operated by U.S. companies.

The spokesperson emphasized that China's position on this issue has been clear and consistent, ready to fight if necessary; open to dialogue if desired. China urged the U.S. to correct its wrong actions and work in the same direction as China, resolving the concerns of both sides through equal dialogue and consultation.

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