USTR’s Section 301 investigation concerning China’s acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation was initiated on August 24, 2017.

A Section 301 measure is a U.S. trade action under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. It addresses certain foreign government acts, policies, or practices that the United States has determined to be unreasonable, discriminatory, or burdensome to U.S. commerce. In this example, the investigation concerned China-related technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation practices. The investigation itself is not the same as a duty: any resulting action may apply additional duties or other trade measures to specified products.

Importers are typically affected when they bring covered goods from the relevant country of origin into the United States. The key professional terms are tariff classification, country of origin, covered products, and additional duty. Coverage generally depends on the product’s HTSUS classification and origin, not simply on the seller, brand, or shipping location. An importer should verify the applicable measure and any exclusions, exclusions’ expiration or renewal status, and entry requirements using current official sources; classification or origin questions may require a customs broker or trade specialist.

What to check

• Confirm the product’s complete HTSUS classification, including any required statistical suffix, rather than relying on a product description alone.
• Determine the product’s customs country of origin; do not assume it is the country where the goods were shipped or purchased.
• Check the official Section 301 product lists and any related tariff provisions to see whether the classification and origin are covered.
• Review current exclusion notices, expiration or renewal information, and any product-specific instructions before filing the entry.
• Ask a customs broker or trade counsel to review uncertain classification, substantial-transformation, valuation, or Section 301 applicability issues.