I read somewhere that due to a legacy agreement there is a special
arrangement that provides cheap (possibly subsidised) postage from
China to the UK. This appears to hand an unfair advantage to
suppliers based in China. Now that China is the world's second
largest economy, why is this allowed to continue?

On 29/04/2022 10:45, Scott wrote:
> I read somewhere that due to a legacy agreement there is a special
> arrangement that provides cheap (possibly subsidised) postage from
> China to the UK. This appears to hand an unfair advantage to
> suppliers based in China. Now that China is the world's second
> largest economy, why is this allowed to continue?

I was under the impression that the UN shipping subsidy for China ended
on 1 January 2021

--
Colin Bignell

On Fri, 29 Apr 2022 11:20:09 +0100, Colin Bignell
<cpb@bignellREMOVETHIS.me.uk> wrote:

>On 29/04/2022 10:45, Scott wrote:
>> I read somewhere that due to a legacy agreement there is a special
>> arrangement that provides cheap (possibly subsidised) postage from
>> China to the UK. This appears to hand an unfair advantage to
>> suppliers based in China. Now that China is the world's second
>> largest economy, why is this allowed to continue?
>
>I was under the impression that the UN shipping subsidy for China ended
>on 1 January 2021

I may well have read about this before that date.

Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> wrote:
> I read somewhere that due to a legacy agreement there is a special
> arrangement that provides cheap (possibly subsidised) postage from
> China to the UK. This appears to hand an unfair advantage to
> suppliers based in China. Now that China is the world's second
> largest economy, why is this allowed to continue?

I don't think it's a "legacy agreement", it's just the way that the
UPU (Universal Postal Union) works.

All countries that are members of the UPU (which basically means
everyone) agree to deliver international mail they receive without any
extra charge. So the UK post office has to deliver mail received from
China without any extra charges being imposed. As postage is very
cheap in China (subsidised?), the delivery charges on AliExpress and
such are much lower than we see for 'within the country' delivery here
in the UK.

--
Chris Green
·

On 29/04/2022 10:45, Scott wrote:
> I read somewhere that due to a legacy agreement there is a special
> arrangement that provides cheap (possibly subsidised) postage from
> China to the UK. This appears to hand an unfair advantage to
> suppliers based in China. Now that China is the world's second
> largest economy, why is this allowed to continue?

I've wondered the same many times.
I've often had things delivered for less than the cost of UK postage alone.

Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> wrote:
> I read somewhere that due to a legacy agreement there is a special
> arrangement that provides cheap (possibly subsidised) postage from
> China to the UK. This appears to hand an unfair advantage to
> suppliers based in China. Now that China is the world's second
> largest economy, why is this allowed to continue?

It was, but it was changed:
https://redstagfulfillment.com/universal-postal-union-treaty/

Additionally VAT must be levied on packages from China sold on platforms
like Amazon, ebay and Aliexpress (a pan-EU change brought in Jan 2021 in the
UK and delayed until July 2021 in rEU).

So the playing field is more level. But China still subsidises packages,
and the shipping routes are constantly changing (eg trans-Siberian railway
rather than ship). More importation is being done by 'logistics' companies
that bulk clear packages through customs and inject the packages into the UK
system with a Royal Mail sticker, compared with the previous method of an
'air mail letter' originating from Asia - the former goes nowhere near the
UPU.

Theo

In article <mncn6h59a2ogordu98tqqcej4uef1f3k6r@4ax.com>,
Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> wrote:
> I read somewhere that due to a legacy agreement there is a special
> arrangement that provides cheap (possibly subsidised) postage from
> China to the UK. This appears to hand an unfair advantage to
> suppliers based in China. Now that China is the world's second
> largest economy, why is this allowed to continue?

If China wants to subsidise their postage, isn't that up to them?

Wasn't Brexit about allowing the UK to do as it wanted too?

--
*Funny, I don't remember being absent minded.

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Fri, 29 Apr 2022 19:45:21 +1000, Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk>
wrote:

> I read somewhere that due to a legacy agreement there is a special
> arrangement that provides cheap (possibly subsidised) postage from
> China to the UK.

That's not right. There has always been a weird
system where any country is free to set its own
postal rates and the destination country has to
deliver it regardless. That is why in the days
when so many subscribed to print magazines,
they did come from obscure countries with
some mags like Time and LIfe.

> This appears to hand an unfair advantage to
> suppliers based in China.

Yes and is a real problem when returning duds.

> Now that China is the world's second
> largest economy, why is this allowed to continue?

Because it has nothing to do with the size of the economy,

On Fri, 29 Apr 2022 20:20:09 +1000, Colin Bignell
<cpb@bignellremovethis.me.uk> wrote:

> On 29/04/2022 10:45, Scott wrote:
>> I read somewhere that due to a legacy agreement there is a special
>> arrangement that provides cheap (possibly subsidised) postage from
>> China to the UK. This appears to hand an unfair advantage to
>> suppliers based in China. Now that China is the world's second
>> largest economy, why is this allowed to continue?
>
> I was under the impression that the UN shipping subsidy for China ended
> on 1 January 2021

We still get the same cheap rates with aliexpress.

On Friday, 29 April 2022 at 15:34:10 UTC+1, Jock wrote:
> On Fri, 29 Apr 2022 19:45:21 +1000, Scott <newsg...@gefion.myzen.co.uk>
> wrote:
> > I read somewhere that due to a legacy agreement there is a special
> > arrangement that provides cheap (possibly subsidised) postage from
> > China to the UK.
> That's not right. There has always been a weird
> system where any country is free to set its own
> postal rates and the destination country has to
> deliver it regardless.

I heard it was because china is one country just like the UK is classed as one country
doesn't matter whether you send to England wales or scotland postage rate is the same.
Which is why ireland and channel islands can be differnt rates.
Same with the USA it doesn't seem to matter whether you ship to New york or LA cost is the same.
(for the same size/weight package/insurence )

>That is why in the days
> when so many subscribed to print magazines,
> they did come from obscure countries with
> some mags like Time and LIfe.
> > This appears to hand an unfair advantage to
> > suppliers based in China.
> Yes and is a real problem when returning duds.
> > Now that China is the world's second
> > largest economy, why is this allowed to continue?
> Because it has nothing to do with the size of the economy,

Yes it was to make postal charges easier and 'fair'.
The only time it changes is due to wieght or size.

On Sat, 30 Apr 2022 00:53:04 +1000, whisky-dave <whisky.dave@gmail.com>
wrote:

> On Friday, 29 April 2022 at 15:34:10 UTC+1, Jock wrote:
>> On Fri, 29 Apr 2022 19:45:21 +1000, Scott <newsg...@gefion.myzen.co.uk>
>> wrote:
>> > I read somewhere that due to a legacy agreement there is a special
>> > arrangement that provides cheap (possibly subsidised) postage from
>> > China to the UK.
>> That's not right. There has always been a weird
>> system where any country is free to set its own
>> postal rates and the destination country has to
>> deliver it regardless.
>
> I heard it was because china is one country just like the UK is classed
> as one country
> doesn't matter whether you send to England wales or scotland postage
> rate is the same.

That can't be the reason for their very low postal rates to foreign
countries.

Even China doesn't consider all foreign countries to be part of china, yet.

> Which is why ireland and channel islands can be differnt rates.
> Same with the USA it doesn't seem to matter whether you ship to New york
> or LA cost is the same.
> (for the same size/weight package/insurence )

That isn't how Australia does it with parcels, only with letters.

>> That is why in the days
>> when so many subscribed to print magazines,
>> they did come from obscure countries with
>> some mags like Time and LIfe.
>> > This appears to hand an unfair advantage to
>> > suppliers based in China.
>> Yes and is a real problem when returning duds.
>> > Now that China is the world's second
>> > largest economy, why is this allowed to continue?
>> Because it has nothing to do with the size of the economy,
>
> Yes it was to make postal charges easier and 'fair'.
> The only time it changes is due to wieght or size.

Still nothing to do with the size of the economy.