In a strong statement on Sunday, China urged the United States to immediately cancel all reciprocal tariffs, calling them a “wrong practice” and demanded a return to a path of mutual respect, as reported by France 24.
“We urge the US to take a big step to correct its mistakes, completely cancel the wrong practice of ‘reciprocal tariffs’ and return to the right path of mutual respect,” a Chinese commerce ministry spokesperson said.
Trade Tensions Back in the Spotlight
The appeal comes as trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies have resurfaced sharply, following Donald Trump’s decision to delay tariffs for most countries—excluding China.
The move was widely seen as a deliberate snub by Beijing, which has since imposed retaliatory tariffs of 125% on US goods, effective Saturday.
Meanwhile, the US had already levied a staggering 145% duty on Chinese products, continuing a pattern of tit-for-tat tariffs that began under Trump’s administration.
Tech Sector Exemptions Offer Some Relief
In a slight easing of tensions, the US Customs and Border Protection office announced exemptions on Friday for key tech items such as:
- Smartphones
- Laptops
- Memory chips
This move is expected to benefit US giants like Apple, Nvidia, and Dell, whose products are heavily manufactured or sourced from China.
China’s commerce ministry, however, downplayed the move, calling it a “small step”, while noting that it was still evaluating the overall impact of the exemptions.
These exempted items reportedly make up over 20% of Chinese imports, according to RAND Corporation researcher Gerard DiPippo.
Will Semiconductors Be Next?
One area still under watch is semiconductors, which Trump hinted could become subject to industry-specific tariffs. He has promised a “very specific” answer about future levies by Monday, potentially targeting imports from all countries, not just China.
What’s at Stake?
The renewed tariff conflict could disrupt global supply chains and impact both economies. China’s strong reaction signals its intent to stand firm, while also keeping communication channels open with the US.
With key industries like technology hanging in the balance, global markets and manufacturers are closely monitoring what could be the next phase of the China-US trade war.
