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| Apple supports exemptions from Trump tariffs |
According to the US Trade Representative's website, Apple has posted eight public comments for temporary tariff exemption on parts and components for its smartwatches and Mac Pro devices.
These documents are the general steps that can be used to restore the 7.5% government tariff on imported Apple Watches and the 25% tariff on Mac Pro components.
Smart watches and their parts are subject to customs duties as they are imported from China. The iPhone is the company's flagship product and is not affected by pricing.
It should be noted that in the trade war with China, companies are still struggling to deal with the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, especially after most of the waivers expired in late 2020 or early this year.
Affected imported products include the Apple Watch and some Mac Pro parts. The watch is the flagship of the company. More than 30 million units were sold last year. Mac Pro is a high-end computer priced at $6000 or more.
The US Trade Representative said in October that it plans to return some duty-free items on a case-by-case basis, especially if the product was only available in China.
The US Trade Representative asked companies backing the exemption to answer questions, including whether the product could be manufactured in the US or other countries outside of China.
Most of the company's products are finished in China. Although it has worked hard to diversify its manufacturing base.
The company said in a smartwatch pricing document that the product is a smartwatch developed in the United States and deserves an exception because it is widely used by consumers for mobile communications and healthcare applications.
Apple picks up Mac Pros in the US
The company explained that the watch is currently available in limited quantities in other countries / regions. This indicates that the company has already conducted production tests outside of China.
The company also supports waivers for the seven components of the Mac Pro, including the trackpad, mouse, power supply, and circuit board.
The company said in the document that these components are not available from sources outside China and are very complex and customized.
Mac Pro is the only computer assembled by Apple in the United States.
As of October, Apple's eight comments were among more than 1,700 comments submitted to the United States Trade Representative.
Other tech companies are also looking at tariff exemptions, according to the US Trade Representative's website.