China could exempt some US goods from 125% tariff as costs rise
China’s government is considering suspending its 125% tariff on some US imports, people familiar with the matter said, as the economic costs of the tit-for-tat trade war weigh heavily on certain industries.
Authorities are considering removing the additional levies for medical equipment and some industrial chemicals like ethane, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private deliberations.
Officials are also discussing waiving the tariff for plane leases, the people said. Like many airlines, Chinese carriers don’t own all of their aircraft and pay leasing fees to third-party companies to use some jets — payments that would have become financially ruinous with the additional tariff.
The exemptions China’s mulling mirrors similar moves on the part of the US, which excluded electronics from its 145% tariff on Chinese imports earlier this month. The pullbacks reflect how deeply intertwined the world’s two biggest economies are, with some key industries grinding to a halt after the trade war escalated.
