US President Donald Trump’s administration exempted smartphones, computers and other electronics from its “reciprocal” tariffs, representing a major reprieve for global technology manufacturers including Apple Inc and Nvidia Corp, even if it proves a temporary one.
The exclusions, published late on Friday by the US Customs and Border Protection Agency, narrow the scope of the levies by excluding the products from Trump’s 125 percent China tariff and his baseline 10 percent global tariff on nearly all other countries.
The exclusions apply to smartphones, laptop computers, hard drives, computer processors and memory chips as well as flat-screen displays. Those popular consumer electronics items generally are not made in the US.
Photo: REUTERS
The move is the first significant easing of any kind in the US trade dispute with China. It was backdated to April 5.
Trump on Saturday declined to elaborate on the exemptions, but hinted at further developments today.
“I’ll give you that answer on Monday. We’ll be very specific on Monday,” he told reporters on Air Force One. “We’re taking in a lot of money; as a country we’re taking in a lot of money.”
The White House also released a corresponding memo indicating that the exemptions also extend to changes in small-parcel shipping duties.
Trump had moved to end the so-called “de minimis” exemption, beginning with China, which generally means parcels worth US$800 or below do not face duties.
Although listed among the exempted goods, semiconductors could still become a target of industry-specific tariffs Trump has suggested placing on imports from all countries.
“President Trump has made it clear America cannot rely on China to manufacturing critical technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones and laptops,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
“That’s why the president has secured trillions of dollars in US investments from the largest tech companies in the world,” she said, adding that the companies are “hustling to onshore” their manufacturing to the US.
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