China will begin charging special port service fees on ships owned or operated by United States entities starting Oct 14, the Ministry of Transport said on Friday, calling the move a legitimate response to Washington's discriminatory actions against Chinese shipping and shipbuilding enterprises.

According to the ministry, the new measure applies to vessels owned or operated by US companies, organizations, or individuals, as well as ships flying the US flag or built in the US. The fees will also apply to vessels owned or operated by entities in which US stakeholders hold at least a 25 percent share of ownership, voting rights, or board representation.

The decision follows an April 17 announcement by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), which said it would impose additional port service fees on Chinese-owned or Chinese-built vessels starting the same date, citing Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974. ?The ministry said the US measures severely violate international trade principles, the China-US maritime transport agreement, and disrupt normal maritime commerce between the two countries.

The special fees will be collected by local maritime authorities at the vessel's first Chinese port of call and will be charged per voyage. The measure will be rolled out in four phases: 400 yuan ($56) per net ton starting Oct 14, 2025; 640 yuan per net ton from Apr 17, 2026; 880 yuan per net ton from Apr 17, 2027; and 1,120 yuan per net ton from Apr 17, 2028.

If a vessel calls at multiple Chinese ports during the same voyage, the fee will be charged only once, the ministry said. Each ship will be subject to the fee for no more than five voyages per year.

The ministry described the measure as a "just and necessary step" to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese shipping companies in the face of "Washington's unjustified suppression". It urged the US side to "immediately correct its wrongdoing and stop its unreasonable crackdown on China's maritime industry."

The USTR's Section 301 action, introduced under the Trump administration, followed a yearlong investigation into China's maritime logistics and shipbuilding sectors. The investigation concluded that China's industrial policies were aimed at achieving dominance in these fields, leading the USTR to impose incremental service fees and restrictions on Chinese vessels.

China's Ministry of Transport said it will release detailed implementation measures for the new port service fees in due course.