US seeks comment on Chinese tariffs

Published May 27, 2026 by The Daily Scout

- U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on May 26 the Trump administration will seek public comment on Chinese goods that could qualify for lower tariffs. - Greer said Washington and Beijing's new joint "Board of Trade" would initially cover about $30 billion of non-strategic goods eligible for cuts. - A Federal Register notice is expected shortly, starting the comment process on products the United States may include.

Why it matters

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on May 26 that the Trump administration will ask the public which Chinese goods should qualify for lower tariffs under a new U.S.-China trade mechanism. Greer said the request for comments would be issued through a Federal Register notice “shortly,” opening a formal process to identify products that could be considered for relief. Washington and Beijing have agreed to use a joint “Board of Trade” to examine an initial tranche of about $30 billion in what Greer described as non-strategic goods. The move follows a fresh understanding between the two governments after the administration’s broad 2025 tariffs on Chinese imports. ### Which tariffs are under review? Greer said the administration is not reopening the entire tariff regime on China. The process is aimed at identifying goods that could be moved into a narrower relief channel while preserving restrictions on products the administration considers strategic, according to Reuters. The $30 billion figure is the administration’s initial target for the Board of Trade process. Reuters reported that Washington and Beijing would use the mechanism to determine which non-strategic goods could see tariffs lowered or eliminated. ### What is this new “Board of Trade”? Greer said the Board of Trade would be the formal vehicle for managing this part of the U.S.-China economic relationship. (money.usnews.com) Bloomberg reported that the U.S. side would launch the process by publishing a Federal Register notice seeking public comments, which Greer said he had personally reviewed. South China Morning Post reported that Greer told a Council on Foreign Relations event in Washington that the administration had “come to terms” with the fact that China would not fundamentally change its political-economic model, a remark that framed the new process as selective management rather than a broader reset. (news.bloomberglaw.com) ### Why ask for public comment? The Federal Register process gives importers, manufacturers, trade groups and other interested parties a chance to identify products where tariffs may be raising costs or disrupting supply chains. That procedure is familiar in U.S. trade policy: USTR has previously used notices and comment periods for China Section 301 tariff exclusions and extensions. (scmp.com) The administration has not yet published the new notice, so the exact scope, deadlines and product categories are not public. Greer said only that the notice would be issued soon. ### How does this fit with last year’s broader tariff push? Reuters reported that the administration imposed sweeping tariffs on Chinese goods in 2025 and is now carving out a process for selected reductions rather than announcing a broad rollback. (federalregister.gov) That distinction matters because the existing tariff structure remains in place unless specific products are identified for relief. (whbl.com) USTR has separately kept earlier China tariff exclusions alive in some areas. In November 2025, the agency said it extended 178 exclusions from Section 301 duties until November 10, 2026. ### Which goods could be affected first? Greer has said the new mechanism is intended for non-sensitive trade. (whbl.com) Reuters and other reports tied to his remarks said that category would initially cover goods outside national-security red lines, with the first pool set at about $30 billion. Other public accounts of Greer’s recent comments have pointed to agriculture, energy, Boeing aircraft, medical devices and consumer goods as examples of trade the administration sees as non-sensitive, though the government has not yet published an official product list for this new comment process. (ustr.gov) ### What happens next in Washington? (money.usnews.com) A Federal Register notice is the next concrete step. Once published, it should set out the administration’s questions, the filing window and the procedures for companies, trade groups and other participants to submit comments. The Board of Trade will then use that record as the U.S. side begins deciding which Chinese goods may qualify for lower tariffs. (theepochtimes.com) As of May 27, the notice had not yet appeared in the Federal Register’s daily listings. (federalregister.gov) (news.bloomberglaw.com)

Key numbers

Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on May 26 the Trump administration will seek public comment on Chinese goods that could qualify for lower tariffs.
Greer said Washington and Beijing's new joint "Board of Trade" would initially cover about $30 billion of non-strategic goods eligible for cuts.
Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on May 26 that the Trump administration will ask the public which Chinese goods should qualify for lower tariffs under a new U.S.-China trade mechanism.
Washington and Beijing have agreed to use a joint “Board of Trade” to examine an initial tranche of about $30 billion in what Greer described as non-strategic goods.

What happens next

Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on May 26 that the Trump administration will ask the public which Chinese goods should qualify for lower tariffs under a new U.S.-China trade mechanism.
Greer said the request for comments would be issued through a Federal Register notice “shortly,” opening a formal process to identify products that could be considered for relief.
The process is aimed at identifying goods that could be moved into a narrower relief channel while preserving restrictions on products the administration considers strategic, according to Reuters.

Sources

Quick answers

What happened in US seeks comment on Chinese tariffs?

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on May 26 the Trump administration will seek public comment on Chinese goods that could qualify for lower tariffs. Greer said Washington and Beijing's new joint "Board of Trade" would initially cover about $30 billion of non-strategic goods eligible for cuts. A Federal Register notice is expected shortly, starting the comment process on products the United States may include.

Why does US seeks comment on Chinese tariffs matter?

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on May 26 that the Trump administration will ask the public which Chinese goods should qualify for lower tariffs under a new U.S.-China trade mechanism. Greer said the request for comments would be issued through a Federal Register notice “shortly,” opening a formal process to identify products that could be considered for relief. Washington and Beijing have agreed to use a joint “Board of Trade” to examine an initial tranche of about $30 billion in what Greer described as non-strategic goods. The move follows a fresh understanding between the two governments after the administration’s broad 2025 tariffs on Chinese imports. Which tariffs are under review? Greer said the administration is not reopening the entire tariff regime on China. The process is aimed at identifying goods that could be moved into a narrower relief channel while preserving restrictions on products the administration considers strategic, according to Reuters. The $30 billion figure is the administration’s initial target for the Board of Trade process. Reuters reported that Washington and Beijing would use the mechanism to determine which non-strategic goods could see tariffs lowered or eliminated. What is this new “Board of Trade”? Greer said the Board of Trade would be the formal vehicle for managing this part of the U.S.-China economic relationship. (money.usnews.com) Bloomberg reported that the U.S. side would launch the process by publishing a Federal Register notice seeking public comments, which Greer said he had personally reviewed. South China Morning Post reported that Greer told a Council on Foreign Relations event in Washington that the administration had “come to terms” with the fact that China would not fundamentally change its political-economic model, a remark that framed the new process as selective management rather than a broader reset. (news.bloomberglaw.com) Why ask for public comment? The Federal Register process gives importers, manufacturers, trade groups and other interested parties a chance to identify products where tariffs may be raising costs or disrupting supply chains. That procedure is familiar in U.S. trade policy: USTR has previously used notices and comment periods for China Section 301 tariff exclusions and extensions. (scmp.com) The administration has not yet published the new notice, so the exact scope, deadlines and product categories are not public. Greer said only that the notice would be issued soon. How does this fit with last year’s broader tariff push? Reuters reported that the administration imposed sweeping tariffs on Chinese goods in 2025 and is now carving out a process for selected reductions rather than announcing a broad rollback. (federalregister.gov) That distinction matters because the existing tariff structure remains in place unless specific products are identified for relief. (whbl.com) USTR has separately kept earlier China tariff exclusions alive in some areas. In November 2025, the agency said it extended 178 exclusions from Section 301 duties until November 10, 2026. Which goods could be affected first? Greer has said the new mechanism is intended for non-sensitive trade. (whbl.com) Reuters and other reports tied to his remarks said that category would initially cover goods outside national-security red lines, with the first pool set at about $30 billion. Other public accounts of Greer’s recent comments have pointed to agriculture, energy, Boeing aircraft, medical devices and consumer goods as examples of trade the administration sees as non-sensitive, though the government has not yet published an official product list for this new comment process. (ustr.gov) What happens next in Washington? (money.usnews.com) A Federal Register notice is the next concrete step. Once published, it should set out the administration’s questions, the filing window and the procedures for companies, trade groups and other participants to submit comments. The Board of Trade will then use that record as the U.S. side begins deciding which Chinese goods may qualify for lower tariffs. (theepochtimes.com) As of May 27, the notice had not yet appeared in the Federal Register’s daily listings. (federalregister.gov) (news.bloomberglaw.com)