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Suspension of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong

about.usps.com

431–440 of 610 posts

Re: Suspension of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong

#431

Earlier quoted context omitted.

DHL/FedEx do lots of declaration/tax work for imported packages. More often than not, they inspects the package before sealing. USPS don't -- they simply forward from HongKongPost or ChinaPost. If the local post office in HK or CN does not cooperation, they can't do anything.

So, they don't check for fentanyl? Might explain the move. I remember ordering some prescription drugs from India, which is, I think, illegal. It arrived to local post office, so I guess, USPS.

I am doubtful that would explain it, though it may be offered as an explanation: don't you remember Trump just pardoned the founder of the drugs by mail organization silk road to pump his crypto?

Re: Suspension of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong

#432
I sincerely hope US and Canada can regrow some manufacturing capacity. I think the only way to do it is by a one-two punch, and middle class like me are going to seriously get hurt, but I still want it done, for the sake of later generations and for a better, safer, more competitive humanity. Safer because a successful reform removes the need of a world war.

The one-two punch is:

1) A massive devaluation of housing, stocks and other similar items. The reason for this is we need to introduce local, more affordable merchandises, which can only be brought by cheaper lands, cheaper labor -- but no one is going to work $6 an hour (about 45 Yuan per hour, more or less on par with the better paid Chinese manufacturers I think) unless, unless housing and renting costs a fraction, like, 20%. That's why I said we are going to get seriously hurt. This is basically a wealth transfer from the richer to the poorer.

2) Educate a whole generation that labor is honorable, so that engineers, scientists, technicians and such get more respect (I mean real respect, not the superficial one nowadays) than lawyers and bankers. It's a social change that takes at least one generation, perhaps two. Maybe I didn't put it right, but by saying getting more respect I'm basically saying getting an equal pay and equal say.

But I'm seeing is that US is taking another darker road.

Re: Suspension of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong

#433

EU should do the same. They're essentially performing a Bureaucratic Denial-of-Service attack on customs and tax authorities.

The EU has enforced a new system that ensures VAT is being paid over imported goods.

For some Chinese stores, that essentially blocked off all of the EU because they don't want to raise prices to pay tax for EU customers. The lack of taxes or import fees together with enough stickers and stamps that say "GIFT" are the whole reason many shops have western customers in the first place.

Customs takes forever to clear a Chinese packages now, they're not letting themselves get rushed beyond doing their job. Not every package gets checked, but a lot more do, and drop shippers are not very happy.

Re: Suspension of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong

#434

This is going to utterly fuck so many R&D projects at my company. We actually do large-scale manufacturing of industrial valves in the USA. But a lot of our prototyping involves working with Chinese suppliers and getting small batches of samples / prototypes / revisions sent in packages on airplanes. I literally do not know how the electrical and firmware engineers will do their jobs now if we cannot receive packages…

Ha ha, whoops, just placed an order with AliExpress earlier today.

AliExpress uses private couriers, not usps.

Re: Suspension of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong

#435

I sincerely hope US and Canada can regrow some manufacturing capacity. I think the only way to do it is by a one-two punch, and middle class like me are going to seriously get hurt, but I still want it done, for the sake of later generations and for a better, safer, more competitive humanity. Safer because a successful reform removes the need of a world war. The one-two punch is: 1) A massive devaluation of housing,…

>1) A massive devaluation of housing, stocks and other similar items.

I get how cheap housing can contribute to domestic manufacturing, but cheaper stocks? How does lower NVDA prices help domestic manufacturing? Is it just there to hose the rich?

Re: Suspension of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong

#436
post #435

I sincerely hope US and Canada can regrow some manufacturing capacity. I think the only way to do it is by a one-two punch, and middle class like me are going to seriously get hurt, but I still want it done, for the sake of later generations and for a better, safer, more competitive humanity. Safer because a successful reform removes the need of a world war. The one-two punch is: 1) A massive devaluation of housing,…

>1) A massive devaluation of housing, stocks and other similar items. I get how cheap housing can contribute to domestic manufacturing, but cheaper stocks? How does lower NVDA prices help domestic manufacturing? Is it just there to hose the rich?

I think they just drop at the same time. Maybe I'm wrong.

Re: Suspension of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong

#437
Looks like they've flip flopped already:

> Effective February 5, 2025, the Postal Service will continue accepting all international inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong Posts. The USPS and Customs and Border Protection are working closely together to implement an efficient collection mechanism for the new China tariffs to ensure the least disruption to package delivery.

Re: Suspension of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong

#438

Could an expert mention if this violates the Universal Postal Convention?

Regardless of violation, is there an enforcement body?

It's a UN body, so there's no strict enforcement. If the USA decides to ignore the UPU's fees and regulations, there's not much reason for other countries to accept American postage stamps and post in general under UPU rules, though.

Without the UPU, the USA would need to negotiate rules and fees with every other country on the planet individually, causing an explosion in complexity, administrative overhead, and cost. If the negotiated rates are good enough there can be a net benefit for the American government, but I doubt they'll be able to make it work.

I don't think the USA will leave the UPU, though, they're probably working up a small fine to try to force renegotiations. A dangerous game, given how sick the world is getting of America already.

During Trump's last presidency, the UPU was already involved during the trade war started against China, and the USA paid off the UPU for 7 million dollars.

Re: Suspension of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong

#439

I sincerely hope US and Canada can regrow some manufacturing capacity. I think the only way to do it is by a one-two punch, and middle class like me are going to seriously get hurt, but I still want it done, for the sake of later generations and for a better, safer, more competitive humanity. Safer because a successful reform removes the need of a world war. The one-two punch is: 1) A massive devaluation of housing,…

I was expecting a how-to, not preconditions.

It is very hard to devalue assets and jobs that are valuable in fact.

Re: Suspension of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong

#440

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> complete with nets so they don't leap to their deaths. These nets are everywhere here. In the our other building's (which is an R&D facility where nobody is a modern day slave by your definition) stair well, construction sites, bridges, etc. I saw it all over Europe in buildings, bridges, etc.

Which Europe? I live in Germany and travel frequently around most of the Western, Central and Northern Europe. No nets.

This is in central Berlin, the net is just about visible: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vDSL4HeQrLLfYU2m7

Clifton Suspension Bridge in the UK is infamous for it, which is why it's now got a barrier up on the pedestrian section: https://maps.app.goo.gl/U1xYZHqhhxNoKMDV7

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