The first wave of new foreign trade regulations for 2026 officially took effect on January 1st. These new regulations cover various aspects, including domestic and international policies, import and export policies, and tariff policies. Timely understanding and mastering these policy changes is crucial for foreign trade enterprises, as it will help them accurately seize market opportunities, rapidly expand into overseas markets, and achieve global growth.
Regarding domestic regulations, starting January 1, 2026, export license management will be implemented for certain steel products and pure electric passenger vehicles. For steel products under 300 customs commodity codes covering the entire supply chain from billets, hot-rolled steel, cold-rolled steel, to coated steel, exporting companies must apply for licenses based on export contracts and quality inspection certificates. Exports of pure electric passenger vehicles under customs code 8703801090 (passenger vehicles equipped only with drive motors) also require completion of relevant approval procedures.
Tariff adjustments are also a key aspect of the new regulations. From January 1, 2026, provisional import tariff rates lower than the most-favored-nation (MFN) rate will be implemented for 935 commodities, covering key components, advanced materials, resource-based commodities, and medical products. For some commodities, the provisional import tariff rate will be cancelled and the MFN rate will be reinstated. Simultaneously, the “Customs Tariff of the People’s Republic of China (2026)” will officially come into effect, clarifying commodity classification standards and applicable tariff rules, providing a basis for import and export declarations. The online verification of export tax refund certificates was also launched on January 1, 2026. Electronic data verification of the “Export Goods Tax Paid/Tax Refund Certificate” is implemented online, comparing it in real time with the electronic data of the customs declaration, greatly optimizing the export tax refund process. Management of used car exports has been strengthened; vehicles registered for less than 180 days must be accompanied by an “After-Sales Service Confirmation,” clearly specifying the export country, vehicle information, and after-sales service outlets.
Regarding pharmaceutical exports, the “Regulations on the Inspection and Export Certificate Management of Exported Pharmaceuticals by Pharmaceutical Manufacturers” officially came into effect, strengthening the supervision of exported pharmaceuticals, standardizing the export certificate processing process, and supporting pharmaceutical export trade. The mandatory standard for electric vehicle energy consumption limits (GB 36980.1—2025) came into effect, requiring electric consumption of ≤15.1 kWh per 100 kilometers for vehicles weighing around 2 tons, increasing the average driving range by approximately 7%. The “Implementation Regulations of the Value-Added Tax Law of the People’s Republic of China” officially came into effect, clarifying the scope of zero-tax rates for exported goods and the specific circumstances under which zero-tax rates apply to cross-border sales services and intangible assets. The national customs authorities launched an online platform for handling administrative reconsideration applications, facilitating businesses and individuals in handling customs-related administrative reconsideration matters. The revised International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG) 42-24 came into effect, making significant adjustments to the classification of new energy vehicle transportation, introducing dedicated UN numbers, and refining transportation management requirements.
Regarding new international regulations, Mexico imposed additional tariffs on 1,463 goods from countries without free trade agreements, including China, India, and South Korea, raising tariff rates from 0-20% to 10-50% (mostly 35%), affecting industries such as textiles, steel, auto parts, and home appliances. Thailand has abolished its duty-free policy for small-value goods, imposing a 10% tariff plus a 7% value-added tax on all imported goods valued at 1 baht or more, with taxes tiered according to product category. Cambodia has lowered tariffs on several imported goods, implementing zero tariffs on live poultry, computer equipment, and laboratory instruments; tariffs on sanitary napkins, diapers, and rice cookers have been reduced from 15% to 7%; tariffs on electric vehicle motors have been reduced from 10% to 0%, and tariffs on batteries from 10% to 5%.
The Eurasian Economic Union will grant tariff exemptions to electric vehicles imported into Armenia, Belarus, and Kyrgyzstan starting January 22, 2026. Belarus can import up to 20,000 units, while Armenia and Kyrgyzstan can each import 15,000 units, limited to permanent residents of these three countries and prohibited from transferring to residents of Kazakhstan or Russia. Vietnam requires mandatory VNEEP energy efficiency labels on 15 products in three categories, and will expand the scope of mandatory labeling products starting in 2027. Russian ports have uniformly increased fees by 15% across multiple services, affecting port-related operations such as channel use, navigational assistance, lighthouse services, and icebreaking services. In addition, the China-Belarus Agreement on Trade in Services and Investment has officially come into effect. The agreement adopts a positive list approach to trade in services, covering facilitation rules for seven key sectors, while investment is managed using a “pre-establishment national treatment + negative list” model.
