Washington and Beijing have finally put names to the goods that could benefit from reduced tariffs under their newly announced trade framework. The lists, published after last week's summit between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping, cover roughly $30bn (€26.3bn) in annual trade in each direction. But the details remain thin: neither side has specified the size of the tariff cuts or when they might take effect.
China's list runs to 1,619 categories of American products, while the US list contains just 77 categories of Chinese goods. The White House said the two countries would consider these products "with a view toward providing reduced tariff treatment to those goods in a reciprocal manner." The lists were drawn up by the US-China Board of Trade, a body established during Trump's visit to Beijing in May after months of negotiations, to manage trade in goods both sides consider non-sensitive.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the two countries "have recommended $30 billion of trade in non-sensitive goods on each side that could benefit from more favourable tariff treatment in the future." Xi wrapped up his three-day visit to Washington on Friday, when the White House announced the agreement on "recommendations" for "non-sensitive goods." Beijing confirmed the arrangement on Saturday.
The announcement builds on a trade truce agreed in South Korea last October, after the US and China imposed tariffs of more than 100% on each other's goods. That pact was due to expire in November, but following the summit, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed it has been extended to 10 January.
What's on the lists
China's list is dominated by food and farm goods: beef, pork, poultry, seafood, cheese, butter, grains, wine and whiskey. It also includes coal and nearly 150 wood and timber products, with Beijing committing to import at least 10 million metric tonnes of US coal in 2027 and 2028. Beyond agriculture, the list covers medical equipment such as MRI scanners, pacemakers, stents and surgical robots. Notably, soybeans—the biggest US farm export to China—appear only as seeds for planting.
Greer framed the deal as a win for American exporters: "From agricultural products to medical devices, President Trump is unlocking improved market access for about 30% of US exports to China, while benefiting consumers with imports from China of household goods, toys, and other products that the United States generally does not import from other countries."
The US list is far shorter and centres on consumer goods: fireworks, glass and wooden Christmas ornaments, Christmas-tree lights, microwave ovens, toasters, coffee makers, bed linen, tennis balls and fishing hooks. Toys are included, but not those enabled with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet or radio-frequency connections.
What it means for Europe
For European exporters, the most immediate concern is pork. The EU shipped around 1.07 million tonnes of pork to China in 2025—roughly a quarter of its exports outside the bloc—with Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark as the biggest suppliers, according to S&P Global data. The European Commission has previously recognised China as a major destination for EU pork exports.
However, EU pork has faced Chinese anti-dumping duties of 4.9% to 19.8% since December. If American rivals get tariff relief, European producers could find themselves at a price disadvantage in a market they have long relied on. Dairy faces a similar risk: China has applied anti-subsidy duties of 7.4% to 11.7% on some EU cheese and cream since February. US wine and whiskey could also compete more strongly with French, Italian and Spanish wines, as well as Irish whiskey and Scotch.
The effect could run the other way too. Cheaper Chinese household goods, toys and sports equipment in the US could make it harder for European makers of similar products to compete there. As the US-China trade relationship evolves, European producers will need to watch closely—and perhaps seek to diversify their markets. The EU's ongoing trade talks with China remain a key arena for addressing such imbalances.
For now, the lists are just recommendations. No rates have been set, and no start date has been announced. But the direction is clear: Washington and Beijing are moving toward a more managed trade relationship, and Europe will have to adapt to the consequences.
