Trump Spares Smartphones, Computers From His 125% China Tariffs

US President Donald Trump's administration granted exclusions from steep tariffs on smartphones, computers, and some other electronics imported largely from China, providing a big break to tech firms like Apple that rely on imported products.

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WASHINGTON/WEST PALM BEACH, Florida —

China said it was evaluating the impact of the exclusions. In a statement on April 13, the Ministry of Commerce called the move a "small step by US to correct its wrong practice of unilateral 'reciprocal tariffs'.

"The bell on a tiger's neck can only be untied by the person who tied it," the ministry said, urging the US to make a major step in correcting what it called its wrongdoing and cancelling the tariffs completely.

In a notice to shippers, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency published a list of tariff codes that will be excluded from the duties. The exclusions are retroactive to 12:00 AM Eastern Time on April 5 (12:01 PM Singapore time).

The US CBP listed 20 product categories, including the very broad 8471 code for all computers, laptops, disk 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 Trump administration's move, but the late-night exclusion provides welcome relief to major US technology firms, including Apple, Dell Technologies, and countless other importers.

The exclusion applies only to Mr. Trump's reciprocal tariffs on Chinese goods, which climbed to 125 percent last week, according to a White House official.