Not quite, some goods have very high tariffs and added import taxes and are checked upon heavily like (where I live) bicycles, anything containing a flat screen

Not quite, some goods have very high tariffs and added import taxes and are checked upon heavily like (where I live) bicycles, anything containing a flat screen and non-consumer electronics (parts). If you get caught (and you will at one time) you pay the VAT, import taxes and sometimes a fine for not reporting which amounts to more than what you would have payed locally. It is by no means a fix but the government is not always making it as easy as you would like to skip on duties added to level the playing field. Postage aside, which is skewed by treaties, the main purpose of import tariffs is to offset labor costs which they do pretty well in my opinion. I do have to say that in my experience buying from both China and local (Europe) the European product are always of higher quality if you buy cheap, even if the country of origin was China in the first place. Since that is not always needed, you buy China, otherwise local.