From Tariff Truce to All-Time Record: How L.A. Became the Essential Gateway for Chinese Goods

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 14: Ships sit docked at the Port of Los Angeles on October 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. The San Pedro Bay Port Complex, comprising the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, serves as the largest U.S. gateway for goods imported from China. (Credit: Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The Briefing

• The Port of Los Angeles broke its all-time monthly cargo record in September 2026, processing 1,042,652 TEUs — the highest single-month total in its 118-year history, eclipsing the previous mark from July 2025 by more than 20,000 units.
• Despite six years of active supply chain diversification, China still accounts for approximately 40% of Port of LA cargo and roughly 60% of Long Beach's total trade — volumes no alternative origin currently approaches.
• Container freight rates from East Asia to the U.S. West Coast have surged approximately 344% since the U.S.-Iran conflict began February 28, 2026, while a two-month U.S.-China trade truce extension announced September 23 keeps trans-Pacific shipping lanes open and new tariffs deferred.