Per an Economic Daily column on October 13, China and the United States have landed a series of practical trade outcomes: the joint arrangement from the Kuala Lumpur consultations is extended to January 10, 2027, keeping the tariff 'truce' alive; both sides are advancing reciprocal tariff-cut packages of roughly $30 billion each, with about 90% of products reverting to most-favoured-nation rates; and new Trade and Investment Councils will be set up under the consultation mechanism as standing platforms. CCPIT confirms the reciprocal tariff-reduction lists have been published.
For Western SMEs this is a policy window you can put in the calendar: with the truce fixed until January 10, 2027, Q4 ordering, inventory and FX-hedging decisions get measurable tariff costs, and categories previously squeezed by high duties — consumer electronics, home goods, light manufacturing — can be re-marginated against the published lists. Exporters should match their HS codes to the lists and lock in longer-term contracts inside the window, while watching that items left off the lists still carry renegotiation risk.