US: The Trump administration has announced sweeping exemptions on a range of electronic goods including smartphones, laptops, and semiconductors from its tough tariff policy.
The decision marks the first substantial easing of US tariffs on Chinese imports since the onset of the trade war.
In a notice released by US Customs and Border Protection, the administration announced that these electronic products would no longer be subject to the global 10 percent import tariff, nor the punitive 125 percent duties explicitly placed on Chinese goods.
The exemptions, backdated to April 5, also cover components critical to tech manufacturing such as memory cards and solar cells.
The decision follows intense lobbying from major American technology companies, including Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia, who warned that the tariffs would cause a sharp rise in consumer prices, particularly for products primarily assembled in China.
The exemptions come at a time when Apple and other tech giants have been increasing efforts to diversify their supply chains away from China. India and Vietnam have emerged as alternative manufacturing hubs, with Apple reportedly ramping up production in India in recent weeks.
While traveling to Miami, President Trump confirmed that further details of the exemptions would be provided early next week.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that the exemptions were granted to give companies the breathing space needed to relocate production back to the US. “President Trump has made it clear America cannot rely on China to manufacture critical technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones, and laptops,” she said.
Despite the exemption, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller clarified that the affected electronics will still be subject to a separate 20 percent tariff related to the US crackdown on Chinese-linked fentanyl distribution.
