The United States government reported that it has exempted cell phones – smartphones– And computers of reciprocal tariffs, including 125% taxes taxes on Chinese imports.
The United States Customs and Border Protection Office published a newsletter, on Friday, in which it explains that these products would be excluded from the 10% global tariff established by President Donald Trump to most countries and the tax, much greater, of Chinese importation.
The measure occurs after the concern of US technology companies due to the possible excessive increase in devices prices, since many of them are manufactured in China.
Exemptions, with retroactive effect on April 5, also include other electronic devices and components, such as semiconductors and memory cards.
This is the first significant exemption of any kind in Trump tariffs to China.
Trump, who is spending the weekend at his home in Florida, told the press on Friday that he felt comfortable with the high tariffs to China.
“And I think something positive is going to get out of this,” he said, while highlighting his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Looking for alternatives
It is not clear if China’s technological imports would continue to be affected by a 20% tariff that was not part of the reciprocal tariffs announced on April 2.
BBC has contacted the White House to request information.
Some estimates suggest that iPhone prices and other electronic products in the United States would have tripled if the cost of tariffs had moved to consumers.
Trump’s measure clears “for now, a huge black cloud over the technological sector and the pressure facing the great American technology,” said Wedbush analyst Dan Iives, in a research note, according to the Associated Press news agency.
The United States is an important market for iPhones. Apple represented more than half of its sales of smartphones Last year, according to Counterpoint Research.
According to that company dedicated to market research, up to 80% of Apple iPhones for sale in the United States are manufactured in China, and the remaining 20% in India.
Together with mobile telephony giants such as Samsung, Apple has tried to diversify its supply chains to avoid excessive dependence on China in recent years.
India and Vietnam were outlined as favorite candidates for new manufacturing centers.
After the entry into force of tariffs, Apple tried, according to some reports, accelerate and increase the production of devices manufactured in India in recent days.
Posture change
Trump had planned a series of tariffs elevated to countries around the world that would take effect this week.
But on Wednesday, he changed posture quickly and announced that he would implement a 90 -day break for countries affected by the increase in US tariffs, except China, whose tariffs raised to 145%.
Trump said that the increase in Chinese tariffs was due to the country to retaliate with its own 84% tax on US products.
In a drastic change of policy, Trump said that all countries that had not retaliated against US tariffs would receive an extension, and would only face a generalized 10%tariff, until July.
The White House said the measure was a negotiation tactic to obtain more favorable commercial conditions from other countries.
Trump has said that their imports to imports will address injustice in the global trade system, in addition to bringing jobs and background factories to the United States.
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