China Quietly Waives Retaliatory Tariffs on Certain U.S. Goods.

Sources have revealed that Chinese authorities have informed certain import businesses about a 125% tariff waiver on some imported goods from the U.S. Leading the list are pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. Also included are some semiconductor products, chip manufacturing equipment, and aircraft parts.

Since taking office, U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed additional tariffs totaling 145% on imports from China, while Beijing has retaliated with 125% tariffs on U.S. goods.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, two semiconductor businesses stated that Chinese customs authorities have waived the 125% tariff on eight categories of U.S.-made chips as of April 24. However, memory chips are not included in the waiver.

On Friday, April 25, China’s Caijing news outlet reported that Beijing would waive the 125% tariff on eight U.S.-imported semiconductor products. However, the article was later removed.

The day before, a list of 131 goods exempted from retaliatory tariffs—ranging from ethanol to pharmaceuticals, aircraft parts, microchips, helicopters, and vaccines—circulated on Chinese social media. Two sources from Nikkei Asia confirmed the authenticity of the document but noted that the list could still change, as discussions were ongoing.#Vietnam Freight forwarder#freight forwarding#cargo courier service#international shipping companies#shipping service company

Illustration: Reuters

One source also revealed that Chinese import businesses recently received informal notices from customs authorities regarding these exempted goods.

According to analysts, the quiet move to waive retaliatory tariffs highlights vulnerabilities in China’s economy. Many industries, particularly in advanced technology, aerospace, and pharmaceuticals, still rely heavily on imports from the U.S.

This is seen as a concession by Beijing, raising hopes that the tariff war between the world’s two largest economies might de-escalate—even as the two sides remain at odds over whether trade negotiations are actually taking place.

On Thursday, President Trump stated that trade talks with China were ongoing, but he did not provide details about the participants or the subjects under discussion. Meanwhile, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied this claim. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce emphasized that Washington must completely lift the unilateral tariffs imposed on Chinese goods if it truly wants to resolve the issue.

However, experts believe the quiet narrowing of retaliatory tariffs indicates Beijing is being cautious under economic pressure, even while maintaining a tough stance on Trump’s trade policies.

“There is a strong possibility of reciprocal tariff reductions from Trump. This is a mutually acceptable approach for both sides,” said Mr. Xu Xiaofeng, a senior manager at Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg.#Vietnam Freight forwarder#freight forwarding#cargo courier service#international shipping companies#shipping service company

Mr. Michael Hart, President of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in China, stated that Beijing wants to ensure tariffs do not harm its economy. He revealed that Chinese authorities have asked some U.S. companies in China to provide information on imported American goods for which no alternative supply sources exist.

Nevertheless, he predicted that China’s retaliatory tariffs will remain in place for strategic sectors, and that Beijing will not back down unless Washington takes similar steps.

“Tariffs will continue. To what extent? I’m not sure, but I believe it would be more reasonable if tariffs were more targeted,” Mr. Hart commented. “If both countries apply high general tariffs but both also implement exemptions, then essentially, they are both making concessions.”

China’s economy had a relatively positive start to 2025, with Q1 growth at 5.4%, exceeding forecasts. However, according to shipping tracker Vizion, imports from China into the U.S. dropped 64% in the week of April 1–8 compared to the previous week. This came after Trump’s retaliatory tariff policy announced on April 2, which triggered a series of counter-tariff measures between the two economic giants.#Vietnam Freight forwarder#freight forwarding#cargo courier service#international shipping companies#shipping service company

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