U.S. Will Delay Some Tariffs Against China

Some tariffs to be delayed until Dec. 15 on items including cell phones, laptop computers, video game consoles, footwear

The Trump administration will delay tariffs on cellphones, laptop computers, toys and some other items until Dec. 15, softening the blow of levies that were scheduled to take effect on Sept. 1 against roughly $300 billion of imports from China.

The office of the U.S. Trade Representative said that some products will be removed from the tariff lists entirely, based on health, safety, national security and other factors. The statement didn’t say which items would be removed.

The USTR said it would release precise details of the delayed tariffs later Tuesday, but the items that will be delayed are some of the biggest ticket items facing tariffs. Cellphones alone represent more than $40 billion of trade.

The USTR didn’t provide a reason beyond saying the decision was “part of USTR’s public comment and hearing process.” In June, over the course of seven days of hearings, hundreds of U.S. companies testified that the tariffs would damage their business.

The delay in tariffs also buys a reprieve for negotiators. Talks between the U.S. and Chinese negotiating teams, in Shanghai last month, ended without a breakthrough, and a Chinese delegation was planning to visit Washington in September, shortly after the tariffs were scheduled to take affect. Now, the U.S. and China will have another opportunity to strike a deal and avert the tariffs.