China exploiting duty exemptionsBy Chen Yung-chang 陳永昌According to statistics from the European Commission, 5.8 billion duty-free, low-value e-commerce parcels entered the EU last year, a 26 percent increase from the year before. Yet, as the dumping of ultra-low-priced goods has intensified, a flood of duty-free parcels has hit brick-and-mortar retail channels and the broader labor market hard. In late August last year, US President Donald Trump took drastic action by fully abolishing the duty-free exemption for parcels valued under US$800. Beginning on Jan. 1, Bangkok abolished the duty-free exemption for parcels valued below 1,500 baht (US$47.46). Chuang last week told the Legislative Yuan that there are no plans to abolish the duty-free exemption for low-value parcels.

Source: Taipei Times February 02, 2026 16:06 UTC