WORLD
In Mr Trump’s latest flip-flop, computers, smartphones excluded from huge China tariff
- IBJ Bureau
- Apr 13, 2025
US President Donald Trump’s administration granted exclusions from steep reciprocal tariffs to smartphones, computers and some other electronics imported largely from China, providing a big break to tech companies like Apple that rely on imported products.
In a notice to shippers, the US Customs and Border Protection agency published a list of tariff codes excluded from the import taxes. The exclusions are retroactive to April 5.
The US Customs listed 20 product categories, including the broad 8471 code for all computers, laptops, disc drives and automatic data processing. It also included semiconductor devices, equipment, memory chips and flat panel displays.
The notice did not provide an explanation for the move, but the late-night exclusion provides welcome relief to major technology companies such as Apple, Dell Technologies and many other importers.
Mr Trump’s action also excludes the specified electronics from his 10 per cent baseline tariffs on goods from most countries other than China, easing import costs for semiconductors from Taiwan and Apple iPhones produced in India.
For the Chinese imports, the exclusion only applies to Mr Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, which have climbed to 125 per cent, according to a White House official. Mr Trump’s prior 20 per cent duties on all Chinese imports that he said were related to the US fentanyl crisis remain in place.
A White House official said that Mr Trump will launch a new national security trade investigation into semiconductors soon that could lead to other new tariffs.
The official added that Mr Trump has made clear that the US cannot rely on China to manufacture critical technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones and laptops.
The exemptions suggest an increasing awareness within the Trump administration of the pain his tariffs could inflict on inflation-weary consumers.
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