Last week, two key developments emerged in the supply chains of the US, Mexico, Vietnam and Thailand, where many Chinese exporters operate.

While tariffs on certain non-domestically producible US goods eased in early October, US compliance scrutiny over industrial products keeps tightening.

The highlight lies in the photovoltaic sector. On October 14, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) issued an affirmative final injury determination for its solar investigation.

Coupled with the US’s penetrating anti-dumping and countervailing duty probes into solar modules from four Southeast Asian countries including Vietnam and Thailand, the US is blocking third-party transshipment routes. The model of exporting Chinese silicon wafers for assembly in Southeast Asia before shipment to the US now faces rigorous traceability reviews.

A new rule takes effect this week: the US enforces stricter full-value origin penetration rules for metal fabricated goods from Mexico and other regions. It targets nearshoring firms that conduct superficial assembly in Mexico while sourcing core components from China.

There is partial tariff relaxation on the surface but an overall tightening in reality. Faced with rigorous compliance enforcement across Vietnam, Thailand, the US and Mexico, production relocation alone cannot mitigate risks. Completing origin value-added assessments in advance and building an AI-powered digital customs documentation system hold the key to breaking through challenges for exporters.