Overview of changes in US tariff policies: from escalation of confrontation to phased easing
Looking back at the first five months of 2025, US tariffs on Chinese goods fluctuated dramatically, and trade tensions escalated to a historical high:
February 4: The United States imposed a 10% tariff on all Chinese imports on the grounds of “fentanyl allegations”;
March 4: The tariff increase rose to 20%, and China retaliated simultaneously.
April 2: Most Chinese goods were subject to a 34% reciprocal tariff;
April 9 and 11: Tariffs were raised to 104% and 145% respectively, and China raised the counter-tariff rate to 125% on the same day;
May 12: The two sides reached a 90-day suspension agreement in Geneva, with the US tariff reduced to 30% and the Chinese tariff reduced to 10%.
Compared with the unilateral tariffs and technology suppression policies at the beginning of the Sino-US trade war in 2018, this adjustment showed the characteristics of first increasing and then decreasing and structural negotiation. Although the reduction in tariffs this time is a phased result achieved under high-pressure bargaining, it brings short-term cost relief and re-negotiation space for Chinese export-oriented enterprises.
Short-term and long-term impact on plastic bucket exports
Short-term and long-term impacts of US customers on plastic bucket imports:
✅ Short-term dividend release is the best time to purchase
This round of tariffs has dropped sharply from 145% to 30%, bringing unprecedented import cost advantages to US customers. Taking the 5-gallon plastic bucket with the largest conventional export volume as an example, the cost of a single piece can be directly reduced by 8%-15%. For buyers with medium- and long-term inventory plans, this is undoubtedly a golden window to reduce annual procurement costs.
At present, many North American customers have increased their order volume in mid-May to lock in preferential tax rates and avoid subsequent policy fluctuations. It is recommended that customers who have not yet placed an order take action as soon as possible and complete the order and production schedule of the main items within 90 days to ensure that customs clearance and warehousing are completed according to the current tariff.
🚨 Long-term risks still exist, early lock orders to ensure supply security
Although China and the United States have temporarily reached a phased tariff-easing agreement, the uncertainty of global trade policies still exists. Once the negotiations break down or the US restarts trade barriers such as “anti-dumping and countervailing investigations” and “origin verification”, it may cause the subsequent procurement costs to rise again, and even face customs clearance obstacles.
To this end, we recommend that overseas customers complete the current strategic procurement arrangements as soon as possible and establish a stable supply rhythm and cooperation framework with us to ensure supply continuity and reduce potential risks.
📢 Procurement suggestions:
It is currently the “tariff bonus period + production off-season”, with fast production cycles and low delivery costs. It is an excellent time to place bulk orders. Contact us now to get exclusive quotes and production plans to seize market opportunities!
Enlightening Plast’s response strategy
The current tax reduction policy has created short-term dividends and long-term opportunities for coordinated development for Chinese plastic pail exporters and global buyers. In the face of an international environment where uncertainty still exists, manufacturers and customers should actively take strategic actions to achieve the dual goals of cost control and stable supply.
1️⃣ Stabilize the supply chain and ensure the delivery cycle
We have fully optimized the factory production system:
⚙️ Introduced fully automatic injection molding equipment to significantly shorten delivery time and reduce the failure rate;
📦 Sufficient inventory of conventional products, support fast delivery and meet the needs of large-volume orders.
🌐 Flexible shipping methods (sea shipping, express shipping, LCL, LCL) to reduce client logistics pressure.
📌 It is recommended that customers complete mid-year or Q3 procurement tasks during the current tariff relaxation period, prioritize production scheduling, and ensure supply continuity.
2️⃣ Product upgrade to match US environmental standards
We have launched a variety of plastic pail series that comply with US regulations and environmental trends:
✅ Degradable/Biodegradable buckets: using bio-based materials such as PLA, PBS, PHA, etc.;
✅ Food-grade buckets: FDA-certified, meeting high-standard applications such as food, beverages, and agriculture;
✅ Customized buckets: high temperature resistant, corrosion-resistant, and leak-proof design, widely used in the chemical and pharmaceutical fields.
📢 Customers are welcome to provide usage scenarios. We can recommend the best solution or customized development according to application requirements.
3️⃣ Global layout, multi-market linkage support
The headquarters factory is located in Qingdao, Shandong, with 5 injection molding production lines and an annual production capacity of more than 3 million plastic buckets.
🇹🇭 Southeast Asian factories are already in planning and will support more customers to purchase “non-China origin” products.
🌍 Export channels cover North America, Australia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa, with rich experience and complete certifications.
📈 We support customers in developing local distribution cooperation and can provide Chinese and English materials to support you in expanding downstream customers.
