China calls on US to 'completely cancel' reciprocal tariffs

China on Sunday urged the United States to “completely cancel” its reciprocal tariffs after Washington granted exemptions for key electronics and semiconductor equipment.

“We urge the U.S. to... take a big step to correct its mistakes, completely cancel the wrong practice of ‘reciprocal tariffs’ and return to the right path of mutual respect,” a commerce ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

The comments followed a notice issued late Friday by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office. The agency said smartphones, laptops, memory chips, and other consumer electronics would be excluded from the sweeping tariffs rolled out by President Donald Trump earlier this month.

China’s commerce ministry described the exemptions as a “small step” by the U.S., adding that Beijing is “evaluating the impact” of the decision.

The announcement came as China imposed retaliatory import tariffs of 125 percent on American goods Saturday. Beijing has remained defiant as tensions escalate with its largest trading partner.

The new exemptions are expected to benefit major U.S. tech companies including Nvidia and Dell. Apple, which manufactures iPhones and other products in China, is also among those likely to gain.

Despite the exclusions, the vast majority of Chinese imports are still subject to a blanket 145 percent tariff. China was not included in a 90-day reprieve issued earlier, leaving many of its exports exposed to high U.S. levies.