China exporters use dubious workarounds to dodge U.S. tariffs

China Shipping containers are seen at the port of Oakland, as trade tensions continued over U.S. tariffs with China, in Oakland, California, U.S., May 12, 2025. Chinese exporters are offering lucrative deals to U.S. customers with promises of bearing the full burden of tariffs. Look beneath and there’s a web of illicit activity that’s propping up these shipments from China. By using the “delivered-duty-paid” shipping approach where sellers pay for all import duties, and by under-invoicing shipments, some Chinese sellers are able to offer U.S. customers pre-tariff prices, while still turning a profit, according to legal experts and industry veterans….