US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Sunday that new tariffs would be imposed on smartphones, computers, semiconductors and some other electronic devices within the next two months.
Just a day earlier, the Trump administration had announced keeping many other electronic goods including smartphones, laptops and computers out of reciprocal tariffs. Since America imports electronic goods from China on a large scale, the new decision of the Trump administration has also given China exemption from the reciprocal duty of 125 percent on these products.
The move was seen as a major relief for tech companies such as Apple and Dell, which rely on imports from China. Lutnick’s comments on ABC’s This Week program are seen as a U-turn on President Donald Trump’s tariff plans. Earlier, Trump had announced to postpone the reciprocal tariffs on more than 75 countries for 90 days and to keep electronic products out of the reciprocal tariffs.