Skip to Content
Washington D.C. skyline at sunrise.
Article

Tariffs on Chinese imports begin; Canada and Mexico delayed for now

February 10, 2025 / 4 min read

On February 1, U.S. President Trump signed four executive orders introducing tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China, scheduled to go into effect on February 4. Following last-minute negotiations, tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods were delayed for one month.

Background

On Feb. 1, 2025, U.S. President Trump signed four executive orders (EOs) introducing significant tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China. They are:

Timeline

The tariffs were scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025. Following last-minute negotiations between the United States and Canadian and Mexican governments on Feb. 3, 2025, implementation of the tariffs on Canada and Mexico is delayed for one month. The tariffs on China are in effect as scheduled. There is no specified end date for the tariffs.

Implementation of the tariffs on Canada and Mexico is delayed for one month. The tariffs on China are in effect as scheduled.

In response, China announced retaliatory tariffs of up to 15% on coal and liquified natural gas from the United States and 10% duties on American crude oil, farm equipment, and certain cars and trucks, along with export controls on some products related to critical minerals beginning February 10.

Key points

Key points of the Trump EOs include:

Actions to consider

Since the tariffs were announced on Feb. 1, 2025, negotiating activities have been fast-paced. Early on Feb. 3, 2025, Mexico quickly reached an interim agreement with the U.S. administration for a one-month reprieve, and later in the day, Canada also secured a 30-day pause. Absent further action by the U.S. administration the tariffs will go into effect when the pause expires. The tariffs on China have been implemented according to schedule, and retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods are scheduled to take effect on February 10.


With new tariffs underway and trade policies evolving, strategic planning is crucial. Here’s where to start.

Plante Moran will continue to monitor relevant tariff and trade actions and issue updates. We recommend keeping up to date on presidential actions at whitehouse.gov and impacts of emerging trade and tariff policy at groups such as the Motor Equipment Manufacturers Association (mema.org), which has a government affairs council and a Washington, DC office, and the National Association of Manufacturers (nam.org) that closely tracks and analyzes regulatory and legislative activity. For more insights, join our webinar, “Navigating global shifts: Strategic sourcing for manufacturing leaders,” on February 26, where our experts will discuss managing new tariffs, optimizing operations, and sourcing strategies in North America and Southeast Asia to stay competitive.

Considering rapidly changing commentary and the unpredictable nature of policy stance from Washington, it’s crucial to work closely with an outside advisor who can help you anticipate and plan ahead. If your company is impacted by any of the EOs, please contact one of our supply chain and international trade and policy experts.

Related Thinking

Factory worker holding a laptop computer while examining robotic equipment
February 26, 2025

Navigating global shifts: Strategic sourcing and tariff impacts for manufacturers

Webinar 1 hour watch Upcoming
Business professionals holding documents and discussing with one another while sitting down
December 19, 2024

Untangling tariff impact: Actions to navigate evolving U.S. tariff and trade policies

Article 4 min read
International business professionals walking across a world map.
October 21, 2024

De-risking offshore manufacturing: The “China plus” strategy

Article 7 min read