US accuses 9 Latin American countries of helping China avoid Trump’s tariffs

A White House report released on Thursday accused Chinese exporters of using nine Latin American countries to evade US tariffs imposed during the Trump administration. Mexico, Panama, and Colombia were newly named in the report, joining Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. These countries are now considered at elevated risk for illegal transshipment, a practice where goods are routed through an intermediate country to enter the US with a different origin and lower duties. The report suggests Chinese exporters are using these nations to circumvent US trade policies. Previously, the three newly named Latin American countries had appeared to align with the US during the trade war.