China yesterday urged the United States to take more substantial steps to correct its “erroneous” tariff policy, following Washington’s decision to exempt a range of electronic products from its so-called “reciprocal tariffs.” 

In an online response to a media query yesterday, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said the U.S. move — outlined in a memorandum released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Saturday Eastern Time — marked a small step in the right direction, but fell short of fully addressing the broader damage caused by the policy.

The U.S. announced Saturday Eastern Time that it would exempt smartphones, computers, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and integrated circuits from its reciprocal tariffs. The exemption applies to goods entering the U.S. after April 5, with refund requests available for previously paid tariffs.

“We are currently evaluating the implications of this policy adjustment,” the spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce said, noting it was the second revision since April 10, when the U.S. temporarily delayed imposing higher tariffs on some trade partners.

“This is a small step toward correcting the mistake of imposing unilateral reciprocal tariffs,” the spokesperson added. “Such tariffs violate basic economic and market principles and disregard the complementary nature of international cooperation and supply-demand dynamics.”

China criticized the tariff policy — first introduced April 2 — as being counterproductive and harmful to global trade. “Rather than solving any of its own problems, the U.S. approach has seriously disrupted the international economic and trade order, interfered with normal business operations, and affected everyday consumption,” the ministry said.

“Trade wars have no winners, and protectionism leads nowhere,” the spokesperson continued, reaffirming China’s consistent position on Sino-U.S. trade relations.

Quoting a Chinese proverb, “Whoever tied the bell on the tiger must take it off,” the spokesperson called on Washington to heed both domestic and international concerns, take a “major step” toward correcting its policy, and return to the path of resolving disputes through mutual respect and equal dialogue.

The tariff rollback was seen by analysts as a major reversal. “This is a massive U-turn in tariff policy,” noted the Kobeissi Letter, a financial newsletter, on social media platform X.

According to Bloomberg, the move could ease pressure on U.S. consumers and benefit electronics giants such as Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. However, the unpredictable nature of recent tariff actions has rattled global markets and drawn criticism from within the Republican Party, including from former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence.