US Accuses More Than 40 Countries of Helping China Evade Tariffs

By Eurasianet - Aug 24, 2026, 1:00 PM CDT The White House places Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan in Tier 3 of its “Shadow Transshipment Network,” describing them as smaller economies offering logistical or customs-related advantages for rerouting China-linked goods. The administration argues that illegal transshipment causes tens of billions of dollars in annual tariff losses and broader damage through displaced US production, jobs, and tax receipts. Washington is developing an AI-enabled “Detective Border” system intended to analyze shipment origins, routing patterns, and supply-chain data and flag suspicious cargo for CBP enforcement. The United States has fingered over 40 countries, including Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, as alleged accomplices in helping China engage in tariff evasion schemes designed to maintain the country’s US-bound exports, according to a Trump Administration white paper. Titled the Great Transshipment Scam, the White House document assails China for engaging in mercantilist practices that run counter to World Trade Organization principles.