Egypt Daily News – Washington, engaged in a trade dispute with Beijing, has eased the burden on consumers by canceling additional tariffs on smartphones and computers coming from China, according to a decision issued by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office on Friday. The exemptions apply to electronics that were subject to tariffs of up to 145%, while semiconductors remain outside the scope of these duties.
The United States, in the midst of its trade war with China, announced the exemption of smartphones and computers from the additional tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump, with the aim of reducing pressure on American consumers.
In a notice published Friday evening, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office detailed the exemptions, which include a variety of electronic goods such as phones and their components imported from China, previously subject to a 145% tariff.
Exemptions for Semiconductors
Semiconductors are already exempt from these tariffs, including the additional 10% duty that applies to most of Washington’s trading partners.
These exemptions narrow the scope of the overall 10% tariffs announced by Trump earlier this month, as well as the punitive tariffs on Chinese imports.
Targeting China with Tariffs
Trump specifically targeted China with what he called “reciprocal tariffs,” intended to address practices that Washington considers unfair. The latest move included new tariffs of 125% on goods from the world’s second-largest economy, which came into effect this week.
These tariffs are in addition to a previous 20% duty imposed due to China’s alleged role in fentanyl supply chains, along with existing tariffs from previous administrations—bringing the total up to at least 145% on many products.
Challenges to Domestic Manufacturing
Many of the exempted products, including hard drives and computer processors, are generally not manufactured in the United States.
While Trump has promoted tariffs as a tool to bring manufacturing back to the U.S., boosting domestic production is likely to take years.
