"What about my Temu and Shein orders?"- Netizens react as US Postal Service temporarily suspends packages from China and Hong Kong

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has temporarily suspended accepting packages from China and Hong Kong. The news was announced on Tuesday night, February 4, 2025, in a service alert shared on USPS's website stating all inbound parcels from the two countries were 'temporarily suspended' until further notice, adding that the "flow of letters and flats" would be unaffected.

The postal service did not elaborate on the reason for the service disruption.

As news of the suspension spread, internet users were quick to react. Under @PopBase's post about the same on X, one wrote:

"But what about my temu and shein orders?"

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/@imnotpopbase)

Many were critical of the move, questioning whether it would disrupt smaller businesses and platforms like Amazon.

"This is not good for small businesses and for Amazon. What is going on??" one questioned.

"This is going to be so disruptive for many U.S. businesses," another remarked.

Meanwhile, some other users commended the move by the postal service.

"Good announcement," a person reacted.

"Make it permanent!" one opined.

On the other hand, several netizens expressed concern about their inbound packages.

"Cosplayers this is a terrible day," one stated.

"Lmao i just ordered from aliexpress for the first time this morning impeccable timing," another added.

Others questioned the meaning of "flats" (large envelopes, newsletters, and magazines).

"What is the meaning of flats ?" a user questioned.

"People outside of USPS trying to research what flats are," another joked.

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USPS's decision came after Trump imposed 10% tariffs on all goods from China

The postal service's move comes after President Trump announced on Saturday that the United States would impose 10% tariffs on all goods from China. The executive order also included ending a customs exemption for small-value parcels equal to or less than $800, that used to enter the country without any taxes.

This exemption, called the "de minimis," allowed Chinese e-commerce companies like Temu and Shein to ship their clothing, furniture, and electronics directly from China at a cheap price, thus gaining popularity in the U.S. According to CNBC, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency reported that they processed 1.3 billion de minimis shipments in 2024.

Furthermore, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, thereby disrupting dealings between the country's top trade partners. However, on Monday, they agreed to hold off on the tariffs imposed on the two countries for thirty days.

Meanwhile, just hours after placing the temporary ban on packages from China and Hong Kong, USPS announced they would reverse the course. In a notice posted on their website, the organization wrote:

"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."

Per CNBC, citing a 2023 report by the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, "nearly half" of all de minimis shipments originate from China. Further, quoting Yin Lam, an analyst with Morningstar, the outlet reported that the volume of de minimis shipments could create challenges for USPS as it took time to look through all of them.

Some critics also suggest such parcels could be used to ship illicit drugs, as they are subject to less scrutiny.

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It currently remains uncertain whether inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong will be suspended once again.