---
title: "US probing if China firms cut output of containers before pandemic, says CBS"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/286944311.md"
description: "The U.S. is investigating whether Chinese companies intentionally limited the production of shipping containers before the COVID-19 pandemic. Several Chinese executives have been indicted, with formal charges expected to be revealed soon. The investigation focuses on firms that dominate the manufacturing of unrefrigerated shipping containers."
datetime: "2026-05-19T15:52:00.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/286944311.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286944311.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/286944311.md)
---

# US probing if China firms cut output of containers before pandemic, says CBS

May 19 (Reuters) - The United States is probing whether Chinese companies deliberately restricted the world's production of storage containers for the shipping trade just before the COVID pandemic began in 2020, CBS said on Tuesday, citing sources.

Several Chinese executives have been indicted, it added, citing two sources as saying the formal indictments were expected to be unsealed on Tuesday.

Investigators have been looking at a handful of Chinese firms that together control the majority of unrefrigerated shipping container manufacturing, CBS said.

U.S. President Donald Trump paid an official visit to China last week that produced no major breakthroughs on trade.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Caitlin Webber)

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