China urges US to remove reciprocal tariffs on high-tech products
On Sunday, China urged the United States to "completely remove" reciprocal tariffs, after Washington's decision on Friday to exempt high-tech products, according to AFP.
"We urge the United States to take bold action to correct its mistakes, completely eliminate the harmful practice of reciprocal tariffs, and return to the path of mutual respect," a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce said in a statement.
Amid a trade war with China that is unsettling global markets, the United States changed its position on Friday, exempting smartphones, computers, and other electronic products from recent massive tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
On Sunday, China's Ministry of Commerce described the decision as a "small step," adding that it was "evaluating the impact."
According to a note from the U.S. Customs Service on Friday evening, these exemptions mainly apply to electronic products imported into the United States from China, which has been hit with massive 145% tariffs since Wednesday. For example, the American tech giant Apple manufactures its iPhones in China.
Beijing responded on Friday by increasing tariffs on all American products to 125%, a measure that took effect on Saturday.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
