The USPS has initiated a blockade on packages coming from China and Hong Kong.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has announced a temporary halt on accepting packages from China and Hong Kong following President Donald Trump's cancellation of a trade exemption that allowed companies like Temu and Shein to ship small parcels to the U.S. without paying duties.

According to Reuters, the Trump administration implemented an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods, which took effect on Tuesday, and closed a loophole in customs legislation known as the de minimis rule. This rule allowed importers and American consumers to avoid paying customs duties on parcels valued up to $800.

These measures were a response to Trump's claims that China was not doing enough to stop the flow of fentanyl—a dangerous synthetic opioid—into the U.S. It was previously reported that Chinese suppliers used duty-free shipments to export chemical components of fentanyl, disguising them as electronics and other inexpensive goods.

USPS clarified that the new restrictions will not affect letters and so-called "flats"—mail items measuring up to 38 cm in length and 1.9 cm in thickness. However, the postal service did not comment on whether this decision is directly related to the cancellation of de minimis for China and other countries.

Chelsea Tam, a senior analyst at Morningstar, expressed the view that USPS will need some time to develop a mechanism for collecting the new tariffs before Chinese packages can begin arriving in the U.S. again. She noted that this will be a significant challenge, as in 2024, 4 million packages were arriving daily through the de minimis rule, and checking all these shipments will become a complex task requiring time.