President Trump Issues Executive Orders Implementing Commitments of U.S.-China Economic and Trade Truce

On Sunday, November 1, the White House releasedopens in a new tabthe full list of commitments reached as part of an economic and trade deal between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in South Korea.

President Trump has signed two Executive Orders implementing these commitments, oneopens in a new tabmodifying the reciprocal tariff actions and the otheropens in a new tabmodifying the fentanyl tariff action.

This one-year truce represents several months of negotiations between the two governments and allows for more time for the U.S. and China to reach a more comprehensive trade agreement.

Commitments by the U.S. Government

• Lower the fentanyl tariff (IEEPA) on Chinese imports from 20 percent to 10 percent (cut in half), effective November 10, 2025;
• Suspend the implementation of higher reciprocal tariffs for Chinese imports for one-year, through November 10, 2026. The higher duty rate (34 percent) was set to be imposed beginning November 10, 2025. Most Chinese imports will remain subject to the baseline 10 percent universal baseline reciprocal tariff, unless exempted under Annex IIopens in a new tabor subject to Section 232 duties;
• Extend the current expiration of certain Section 301 tariff exclusions through November 10, 2026. The expiration of these exclusions (178 in total) was recently extended by 90 days, from August 31, 2025 to November 29, 2025. Neither the White House nor the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative have released the action implementing this extension; and
• Suspend the implementation for one year of the port fees on Chinese built, owned, or operated vessels, as a result of the Section 301 investigation into Chinese efforts to dominate the shipbuilding, maritime, and logistics sectors.

Commitments by Chinese Government

• Implement significant measures that aim to end the flow of fentanyl to the United States;
• Suspend the global implementation of new export controls on rare earth minerals/materials, which had been initially announced on October 9, 2025, and were set to take effect on/before December 1, 2025;
• Suspend all retaliatory tariffs and non-tariff countermeasures implemented against the U.S. since March 4, 2025, including a 10 percent tariff on most U.S. exports, including recycled materials; and
• Remove countermeasures taken against the U.S. in response to the port fees to address the Chinese targeting of the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for dominance, in the Section 301 investigation.

Implications for U.S. Recycled Materials Industry

• The extension of the Section 301 exclusions through November 10, 2026, is likely to include the exclusion for shredder wear parts imported under HTS 8479.90.9596. However, USTR has not publicly released the information of the full list of exclusions that will be extended beyond November 29, 2025. ReMA requestedopens in a new tabthe continued extension of this exclusion in mid-October.
• With the fentanyl tariff halved to 10 percent, the full duty burden on imports of shredder wear parts from China is expected to be:
  • 10 percent - fentanyl (IEEPA)
  • 50 percent - Section 232 steel derivative on the steel content