The US and China have detailed plans to cut tariffs on about $30 billion of imports from each other, covering a wide range of goods ranging from fireworks, household products and toys to meat, seafood, grains and medical equipment. The tariff relief is among the key outcomes of US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping as the two sides seek to stabilise trade ties.
The US list contains 77 Chinese product categories, while China’s list covers 1,619 US goods, according to documents released by the two governments. The combined trade covered by the planned tariff cuts is worth about $60 billion.
Also Read: China says US trade truce extension creates space to advance talks
The two countries have not specified how much the tariffs on individual products will be reduced. China said about 90% of the products covered by the reciprocal arrangement would see tariffs reduced to most-favoured-nation rates.
Why was the trade deal stalled?
The tariff relief comes as Washington and Beijing extend their trade truce until January while working towards a broader agreement. The two countries are also expected to hold two more meetings between Trump and Xi this year.
Major disagreements over export controls and Taiwan remain unresolved. Against that backdrop, the two sides have focused on non-sensitive trade areas where agreements can be reached.
The planned tariff cuts cover about $60 billion in bilateral trade, a fraction of the $415 billion in total goods traded between the US and China last year.
China said the tariff reductions would take place simultaneously after the required procedures under domestic law are completed.
“This arrangement will help to further stabilize China-US economic and trade relations and create favorable conditions for China’s exports of relevant products to the US,” the Chinese Commerce Ministry said.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer described the selected products as non-sensitive goods that could qualify for more favourable tariff treatment.
He said the recommendations would improve access for US agricultural products and medical devices while lowering barriers on Chinese household goods and toys.
“President Trump is unlocking improved market access for about 30 percent of US exports to China, while benefiting consumers with imports from China of household goods, toys, and other products that the United States generally does not import from other countries,” Greer said.
The US list of Chinese imports covered by the planned tariff reductions includes:
- Fireworks
- Plates, cups, saucers, soup bowls, cereal bowls, sugar bowls, creamers, gravy boats, serving dishes and platters
- Tableware and kitchenware articles
- Beads, bugles and spangles, not strung or set
- Electric blankets
- Blankets, other than electric blankets, and travelling rugs, of wool or fine animal hair
- Printed bed linen, not knitted or crocheted, of textile materials
- Bed linen, not knitted or crocheted, not printed, of textile materials
- Table linen, knitted or crocheted
- Tablecloths and napkins of flax, not knitted or crocheted
- Table linen of flax, other than tablecloths and napkins, not knitted or crocheted
- Table linen of textile materials other than cotton, flax or man-made fibres, not knitted or crocheted
- Toilet and kitchen linen of textile materials containing 85% or more by weight of silk or silk waste
- Toilet and kitchen linen of flax
- Toilet and kitchen linen of textile materials containing less than 85% by weight of silk or silk waste
- Curtains, including drapes, interior blinds and valances, of textile materials other than cotton or synthetic fibres, knitted or crocheted
- Wall hangings of wool or fine animal hair, certified hand-loomed and folklore products
- Wall hangings of wool or fine animal hair
- Wall hangings of jute
- Furnishing articles of vegetable fibres, excluding cotton
- Certified hand-loomed and folklore pillow covers of wool or fine animal hair
- Garden or similar umbrellas
- Artificial flowers, foliage and fruit and related articles made of feathers
- Artificial flowers, foliage and fruit and related articles made of materials other than plastic, feathers and man-made fibres
- Personal weighing machines, including baby scales and household scales
- Electromechanical food grinders, processors, mixers and fruit or vegetable juice extractors for domestic use
- Electromechanical floor polishers for domestic use
- Electromechanical domestic appliances with self-contained electric motors
- Shavers with self-contained electric motors
- Hair-removing appliances with self-contained electric motors
- Flashlights
- Electric flatirons, travel type
- Electric flatirons, other than travel type
- Microwave ovens for domestic use
- Electrothermic coffee or tea makers for domestic use
- Electrothermic toasters for domestic use
- Electrothermic appliances for domestic use
- Electrical filament Christmas-tree lamps rated above 100 volts
- Electrical filament Christmas-tree lamps rated at 100 volts or below
- Upholstered highchairs and booster seats, infant walkers and bouncers with metal frames
- Highchairs and booster seats, infant walkers, bouncers and swings with metal frames
- Highchairs, booster seats, bath seats, infant walkers, bouncers and swings made of reinforced or laminated plastics
- Highchairs, booster seats, bath seats, infant walkers, bouncers and swings made of rubber or plastics
- Child safety seats with detachable hard-shell seats and other child safety seats
- Play yards and other plastic enclosures for confining children made of reinforced or laminated plastics
- Play yards and other enclosures for confining children made of plastics
- Sleeping bags not containing 20% or more by weight of feathers or down
- Pillows, cushions and similar furnishings, other than of cotton
- Toys, including tricycles, scooters, pedal cars, dolls’ carriages, dolls, other toys, scale models, puzzles and parts and accessories, excluding items enabled with radio frequency, Wi-Fi, Ethernet or Bluetooth
- Billiard balls
- Billiard chalk
- Billiard tables
- Other billiard articles, parts and accessories
- Coin- or token-operated arcade, table or parlour games and parts and accessories
- Playing cards
- Arcade, table or parlour game articles and parts and accessories; automatic bowling alley equipment and parts and accessories
- Glass Christmas ornaments
- Wooden Christmas ornaments
- Christmas nativity scenes and figures
- Magic tricks and practical joke articles and parts and accessories
- Rackets for games other than lawn tennis or badminton and related parts and accessories
- Lawn-tennis balls
- Inflatable footballs and soccer balls
- Inflatable balls other than footballs and soccer balls
- Baseballs and softballs
- Non-inflatable hollow balls with a diameter of 19 centimetres or less
- Non-inflatable balls
- Lawn-tennis articles and equipment other than balls and rackets and related parts and accessories
- Skeet targets
- Fish hooks, snelled
- Fish hooks, not snelled
- Fishing line packaged for retail sale
- Fishing casts or leaders
- Artists’ brushes, writing brushes and similar brushes for applying cosmetics, valued at no more than 5 US cents each
- Artists’ brushes, writing brushes and similar brushes for applying cosmetics, valued above 5 US cents but no more than 10 US cents each
- Vacuum flasks and vessels with cases, with capacity of no more than 1 litre
- Vacuum flasks and vessels with cases, with capacity above 2 litres
China import list: Key US goods
- Coal products
- Donkeys
- Mules
- Horses
- Whales
- Dolphins
- Dugongs
- Beef
- Lamb
- Chicken
- Offal
- Tuna
- Cod
- Crabs
- Lobsters
- Shellfish
- Cream
- Cheese
- Butter
- Honey
- Flowers
- Vegetables
- Mushrooms
- Beans
- Fruits
- Coffee
- Tea
- Wheat
- Barley
- Corn
- Rice
- Sorghum
- Seeds
- Poultry fat
- Edible oil
- Cocoa beans
- Bread
- Juice
- Pet food
- Tobacco
- Cigars
- Cosmetics
- Logs
- Ultrasonic machines
- Magnetic resonance imaging devices
- Dental equipment
(The list of US and China import goods is based on a Bloomberg report)
