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2026-10-03

3 analyses published · 28 sourced figures · 21 named primary sources

China Taxes the Metal on the Way Out, Then Zeroes It Once the Metal Has a Shape

Sourcing & Suppliers·10 min read·10 figures

107 goods carry Chinese export duties in 2026 and 68 have provisional rates. For copper and aluminium the pattern is deliberate: raw material taxed at 30 percent, every wrought product zeroed.

The Postal Flat Fee Died in Four Days — Now the Route Itself Is Closing

Trade Policy·10 min read·8 figures

The $80/$160/$200 per-item postal duty ran from 24 to 27 February 2026, then vanished. From 22 October 2026 Chapter 99 goods lose the postal informal route, and the arithmetic moves to classification.

What Chinese Steel Really Costs Under CBAM in 2026, per Tonne

Trade Policy·11 min read·10 figures

The EU replaced its CBAM default-value tables retroactively on 31 July 2026, and the "CBAM factor" is read backwards by almost everyone. Here is what Chinese steel and aluminium actually cost per tonne in 2026, with every input printed.