China’s Commerce Ministry referred to the U.S. tariff exemptions as a “small step” and urged U.S. President Donald Trump to “completely abolish” the reciprocal tariffs, which include a 145% duty on Chinese imports.
“We urge the U.S. to heed the rational voices of the international community and domestic parties, take a big stride in correcting its mistakes, completely abolish the wrongful action of ‘reciprocal tariffs,’ and return to the correct path of resolving differences through equal dialogue based on mutual respect,” the ministry said in an online statement, as translated by CNBC.
The ministry also mentioned that China is “evaluating the relevant impact” of the recent tariff exemptions on certain tech products announced late Friday.
The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
Public sentiment in China, as reflected in both state and social media, has been critical of the U.S. tariffs. The recent exemptions are being seen domestically as a sign of Trump backing down, further highlighting the difficulty U.S. companies face in replacing Chinese supply chains. “Public opinion widely views this as another retreat by the U.S. government on its tariff policies,” the official Beijing Daily wrote.
On Weibo, a popular Chinese social media platform, the hashtag “Trump administration retreats again” ranked No. 2 on the hot search list.
Late Friday, the Trump administration exempted several widely-used tech devices and components, including smartphones, computers, semiconductors, solar cells, and flash drives, from reciprocal tariffs, according to guidance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
This decision was seen as a significant victory for tech giants like Apple, which manufactures many of its products in China. However, as CNBC previously reported, the long-term effects of the China tariffs on the U.S. economy and small businesses may be irreversible.
Despite the exemptions, a 20% tariff on all Chinese products remains in effect.
