Starting October 14, China will charge American ships docking at its ports a special fee, escalating a trade conflict as Washington plans similar charges on Chinese vessels, reports Bloomberg. The fee begins at 400 yuan ($56) per net ton and will rise annually until 2028. China says the move responds to US port fees on Chinese-built or operated ships. This tit-for-tat reflects ongoing tensions ahead of a key US-China summit and highlights the growing friction over maritime dominance in global shipping. They write.
China will start levying special fees on American ships docking at its ports, significantly escalating a months-long dispute in which Washington has targeted the Asian country for its maritime and trade dominance.
Starting Oct. 14, Beijing will charge 400 Chinese yuan ($56) per net ton on US ships that call at Chinese ports, according to a Ministry of Transport release on Friday. The fees will increase each year, reaching 1,120 yuan by April 2028. […]
Washington is also set to start charging its own port fees on Chinese ships on Oct. 14. The plan, first unveiled in April, has upended global shipping, which has long relied on China’s shipbuilding capabilities. While many companies have managed to find workarounds to dull the impact of US fees, major Chinese shipping line Cosco Shipping Holdings is still liable to fork out billions in additional fees to service US markets, according to Citigroup Inc. […]
If American entities directly or indirectly hold 25% or more of the equity in terms of voting rights or board seats of the companies operating vessels, they will be considered American. Ships are also considered as such if they fly the US flag or are built in America. […]
China has built just under a quarter of all ships trading on water, while the US accounts for less than 1%.
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