Section 301
Also: China tariffs · 301 tariffs
Additional US tariffs on Chinese-origin goods, imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and published by USTR across four lists.
Definition
Section 301 lets the US Trade Representative respond to unfair foreign trade practices. The China tariffs first imposed in 2018 were published in four tranches — List 1, 2, 3 and 4A — covering products by their 8-digit HTS numbers.
The additional duty (historically 25% on Lists 1–3 and 7.5% on List 4A) is ad valorem and adds on top of the base HTS rate. Which list a product falls on, and the exclusions, have been reviewed and changed over time — always confirm the current status with USTR.
Worked example
A product on List 3 with a 2.5% base rate carries an effective 27.5% duty for Chinese origin (2.5% + 25%).
Related codes & tools
Related terms
Sources
Definitions are informational, not customs rulings. Confirm rates against the schedule of record and see our methodology & disclaimer.