US tariffs on Chinese goods are reshaping global supply chains and Australian importers are already feeling it. Here's what's happening and the smart moves to make right now.
In April 2025, Trump's administration announced sweeping "Liberation Day" tariffs targeting imports from over 60 countries. China bore the brunt, with tariffs on Chinese manufactured goods reaching as high as 145% on certain categories. While a significant portion of these tariffs were struck down by the US Supreme Court in February 2026, the disruption had already been done.
The Trump administration is now leaning heavily on Section 301 investigations, with two new investigations launched in March 2026. Results are expected by July 2026. US tariff policy is unpredictable, aggressive, and not going away anytime soon.
When the US slaps 145% tariffs on Chinese goods, Chinese manufacturers redirect. Trans-Pacific shipping lanes empty out as Chinese exports to the US slow, while other routes — including Australia-China lanes — experience capacity fluctuations. Freight rates and transit times have become more volatile.
When China loses its biggest export market for certain categories, that product has to go somewhere. IBISWorld analysis confirms this risk — Australian manufacturers in textiles, electronics, and household goods face particular exposure as trade flows are redirected.
The Australia Industry Group notes that even businesses with no direct connection to US trade are feeling supply chain disruptions: delayed components, repriced freight, supplier capacity redirections, and uncertainty around lead times.
The US Section 301 investigations now include Australia in scope — assessing whether Australia is adequately enforcing laws against imports made with forced labour. While Australia won't face punitive tariffs like China, this creates a compliance environment worth understanding now.
Australia imports over A$90 billion worth of goods from China annually, making China our largest trading partner by import value. The Reserve Bank of Australia's May 2025 Statement on Monetary Policy modelled that US tariff impacts are likely to reduce Australian GDP by 0.2% in 2026.
How much of your product sourcing is concentrated in a single country — or worse, a single factory? Map your supply chain clearly so you know exactly where your vulnerabilities are. Epic Sourcing's OutSource service includes a full supply chain audit as part of onboarding.
Vietnam's manufacturing sector has undergone a remarkable transformation. Bilateral China-Vietnam trade reached US$296 billion in 2025, and Bloomberg analysis shows Vietnam surpassed China as the leading supplier to the US of laptops and game consoles in 2025.
For Australian importers, Vietnam offers compelling advantages: lower labour costs, strong manufacturing capabilities in textiles, furniture, electronics assembly, and footwear, and favourable trade agreements including CPTPP and AANZFTA. Our Vietnam sourcing service is built specifically for Australian businesses — we have boots on the ground in Ho Chi Minh City.
For products where you have certainty of demand, consider pulling inventory forward. The companies that locked in orders and secured freight capacity early in 2025 are in a far better position than those scrambling today.
Chinese factories that previously exported heavily to the US are hungry for new customers. Now is an excellent time to renegotiate unit prices, payment terms, and MOQs. A good sourcing agent who negotiates in Mandarin and knows your supplier's situation can extract meaningful savings right now.
Make sure your suppliers can provide factory audit certificates, compliance declarations, and clear visibility into their own supply chain. This protects you commercially and reputationally.
The "China-plus-one" approach maintains your core sourcing relationship in China while establishing at least one alternative manufacturing relationship in another country. It's about de-risking. For most Australian SMEs, Vietnam is the natural China-plus-one destination.
Our team in Sydney, alongside our sourcing teams in China and Vietnam, are actively monitoring how supply chain shifts are affecting our clients' categories. We're renegotiating supplier contracts, qualifying Vietnam alternatives, managing compliance documentation, and helping businesses build more resilient supply chains.
If you're importing from China and haven't reviewed your sourcing strategy in the last six months, you're flying blind in a turbulent environment. Book a discovery call with Epic Sourcing — or reach out at gday@epicsourcing.com.au. No fluff, just a straight conversation about your supply chain.
Sources: IBISWorld; Commonwealth Bank Research (January 2026); Reserve Bank of Australia Statement on Monetary Policy (May 2025); Australia Industry Group; Bloomberg Analysis 2025.
