China to reduce import tariffs on ethane, certain recycled metals

The scheme listed various import tariff adjustments that will take effect on January 1 2025, aiming to boost imports of high-quality goods, stimulate domestic demand, and further promote a high-level opening-up of the economy.

Under the scheme, provisional import tariffs below the Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) rates will apply to 935 items. Notably, tariffs will be reduced on ethane and certain recycled copper and aluminum raw materials to support green and low-carbon development.

Specifically, the ad valorem duties on refined copper and select recycled copper, currently set at 2% and 1.5%, are expected to be reduced to 0% under the MFN rate by 2025, as outlined in the attached documents.

Likewise, duties on nickel matte and intermediate nickel products produced via the wet process, including MHP, will drop from 3% to 0% by 2025 for MFN countries. Other unwrought aluminum, excluding alloys, and aluminum waste and scrap will also see their tariffs reduced to 0%, down from 5% and 1.5%, respectively.

Also, tariff reductions will be applied to items like cyclic olefin polymers, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, and automatic transmissions for special-purpose vehicles, including fire trucks and repair vehicles.

Other items seeing tariff reductions include sodium zirconium cyclosilicate, viral vectors used in CAR-T tumor therapy, and nickel-titanium alloy wires for surgical implants.

In addition to these reductions, tariffs on some products, such as molasses and sugar-containing pre-mixed powders, will increase.

Written by Adele Pan, panqinjie@mysteel.com

Edited by Alyssa Ren, rentingting@mysteel.com