Americans think that everything applies only to them.
This is actually the outcome of years of diplomacy and discussion between China Post and the Universal Postal Union, founded (on the suggestion of the USA) in 1874 and now a department of the United Nations.
Developing nations are allowed to charge their population lower than market rate for international postage. This is meant to encourage those economies.
China was considered a developing nation at the turn of the millennium and got those preferential rates, with richer countries making up the shortage-- because they could afford it.
Then China suddenly became the second largest economy in the world, but held on to those low rates.
In 2016, the UPU finally persuaded China Post to give up its privilege and raise its international rates over the following five years meaning that Canada, the European Union, Australasia, some South American countries , and incidentally the US, were no longer 'subsidizing ' their shipments.
However, this does not affect (much) the newer DelCon , tracked, and air mail services which came into use after 2000 and were never part of the UPU treaty.
If you are buying cheap junk that is shipped 'free' (the cost of shipping is part of the asking price and the item is shipped Surface and untracked) then yes costs will rise.
If you are buying goods with Air Mail tracked service, there is unlikely to be much change in your costs.
ProTip-- ignore any US comments that slag off the United Nations or which are obviously xenophobic. That Faux News talking.
