Taipei: Taiwan's Chunghwa Post has announced the resumption of small parcel shipments to the United States, specifically for noncommercial gifts or books valued under US$100. This service had been suspended since late August due to the expiration of a tariff exemption.
According to Focus Taiwan, the state-owned postal company stated that the resumption aligns with U.S. government executive orders and guidance from the Universal Postal Union's International Bureau, confirming that such shipments remain exempt from U.S. customs duties. Chunghwa Post cautioned that parcels exceeding the US$100 value or containing items other than noncommercial gifts or books might be seized, destroyed, or returned by U.S. customs. The company clarified it would not be responsible for such parcels or any associated costs.
The service resumption follows a halt in shipments to the U.S. of all EMS packages, international parcel posts, ePackets, international registered small packages, and international ordinary small packages on August 26. This suspension was prompted by the U.S. government's announcement that the "Duty-Free de minimis Treatment" would expire on August 29, which had previously exempted customs duties on items valued at US$800 or below mailed to the U.S.
Chunghwa Post had cited the absence of a system to collect duties from senders and remit them to U.S. Customs and Border Protection as the reason for suspending small parcel shipments. Despite the suspension, the company continued handling letters, postcards, and other printed materials. In 2024, approximately 340,000 packages were sent to the United States via Chunghwa Post, based on the company's statistics.