US-China tariff cuts: $30 billion trade relief plan unveiled; check full list of goods

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.

Also Read: Xi-Trump summit: China gains diplomatic leverage as US-China trade truce extends, Taiwan tensions persist

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:

1. Fireworks
2. Plates, cups, saucers, soup bowls, cereal bowls, sugar bowls, creamers, gravy boats, serving dishes and platters
3. Tableware and kitchenware articles
4. Beads, bugles and spangles, not strung or set
5. Electric blankets
6. Blankets, other than electric blankets, and travelling rugs, of wool or fine animal hair
7. Printed bed linen, not knitted or crocheted, of textile materials
8. Bed linen, not knitted or crocheted, not printed, of textile materials
9. Table linen, knitted or crocheted
10. Tablecloths and napkins of flax, not knitted or crocheted
11. Table linen of flax, other than tablecloths and napkins, not knitted or crocheted
12. Table linen of textile materials other than cotton, flax or man-made fibres, not knitted or crocheted
13. Toilet and kitchen linen of textile materials containing 85% or more by weight of silk or silk waste
14. Toilet and kitchen linen of flax
15. Toilet and kitchen linen of textile materials containing less than 85% by weight of silk or silk waste
16. Curtains, including drapes, interior blinds and valances, of textile materials other than cotton or synthetic fibres, knitted or crocheted
17. Wall hangings of wool or fine animal hair, certified hand-loomed and folklore products
18. Wall hangings of wool or fine animal hair
19. Wall hangings of jute
20. Furnishing articles of vegetable fibres, excluding cotton
21. Certified hand-loomed and folklore pillow covers of wool or fine animal hair
22. Garden or similar umbrellas
23. Artificial flowers, foliage and fruit and related articles made of feathers
24. Artificial flowers, foliage and fruit and related articles made of materials other than plastic, feathers and man-made fibres
25. Personal weighing machines, including baby scales and household scales
26. Electromechanical food grinders, processors, mixers and fruit or vegetable juice extractors for domestic use
27. Electromechanical floor polishers for domestic use
28. Electromechanical domestic appliances with self-contained electric motors
29. Shavers with self-contained electric motors
30. Hair-removing appliances with self-contained electric motors
31. Flashlights
32. Electric flatirons, travel type
33. Electric flatirons, other than travel type
34. Microwave ovens for domestic use
35. Electrothermic coffee or tea makers for domestic use
36. Electrothermic toasters for domestic use
37. Electrothermic appliances for domestic use
38. Electrical filament Christmas-tree lamps rated above 100 volts
39. Electrical filament Christmas-tree lamps rated at 100 volts or below
40. Upholstered highchairs and booster seats, infant walkers and bouncers with metal frames
41. Highchairs and booster seats, infant walkers, bouncers and swings with metal frames
42. Highchairs, booster seats, bath seats, infant walkers, bouncers and swings made of reinforced or laminated plastics
43. Highchairs, booster seats, bath seats, infant walkers, bouncers and swings made of rubber or plastics
44. Child safety seats with detachable hard-shell seats and other child safety seats
45. Play yards and other plastic enclosures for confining children made of reinforced or laminated plastics
46. Play yards and other enclosures for confining children made of plastics
47. Sleeping bags not containing 20% or more by weight of feathers or down
48. Pillows, cushions and similar furnishings, other than of cotton
49. 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
50. Billiard balls
51. Billiard chalk
52. Billiard tables
53. Other billiard articles, parts and accessories
54. Coin- or token-operated arcade, table or parlour games and parts and accessories
55. Playing cards
56. Arcade, table or parlour game articles and parts and accessories; automatic bowling alley equipment and parts and accessories
57. Glass Christmas ornaments
58. Wooden Christmas ornaments
59. Christmas nativity scenes and figures
60. Magic tricks and practical joke articles and parts and accessories
61. Rackets for games other than lawn tennis or badminton and related parts and accessories
62. Lawn-tennis balls
63. Inflatable footballs and soccer balls
64. Inflatable balls other than footballs and soccer balls
65. Baseballs and softballs
66. Non-inflatable hollow balls with a diameter of 19 centimetres or less
67. Non-inflatable balls
68. Lawn-tennis articles and equipment other than balls and rackets and related parts and accessories
69. Skeet targets
70. Fish hooks, snelled
71. Fish hooks, not snelled
72. Fishing line packaged for retail sale
73. Fishing casts or leaders
74. Artists’ brushes, writing brushes and similar brushes for applying cosmetics, valued at no more than 5 US cents each
75. Artists’ brushes, writing brushes and similar brushes for applying cosmetics, valued above 5 US cents but no more than 10 US cents each
76. Vacuum flasks and vessels with cases, with capacity of no more than 1 litre
77. 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)