U.S. excludes Chinese face masks, medical gear from tariffs as coronavirus spreads

[beijingwalker]

U.S. excludes Chinese face masks, medical gear from tariffs as coronavirus spreads
MARCH 7, 2020 / 3:32 AM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Trade Representative’s office in recent days granted exclusions from import tariffs for dozens of medical products imported from China, including face masks, hand sanitizing wipes and examination gloves, filings with the agency showed on Friday.

Many of the exclusion requests for medical products appear to have been expedited amid the rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak, with approvals granted just over one month past a Jan. 31 application deadline.


Requests to exclude other products from President Donald Trump’s Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods have taken months. Apple Inc’s (AAPL.O) requests for exclusions on products from AirPod headphones to the HomePod smart speaker filed on Oct. 31 are still pending.

Medline International Inc has already received exclusions on 30 products ranging from surgical gowns to face masks and medicine cups, most of which the company applied for at the end of January. A number of the exclusions were granted on Thursday, USTR documents showed.


The products were included in a fourth round of tariffs on Chinese goods imposed by Trump on Sept. 1, 2019, amid heated U.S.-China trade negotiations.

The tariff rate on the medical products was initially set at 15%, but was lowered to 7.5% on Feb. 15 as part of the Phase 1 U.S.-China trade agreement. The deal leaves in place tariffs on about $370 billion worth of imports from China, including 25% duties on goods valued at around $250 billion.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-tariffs-as-coronavirus-spreads-idUSKBN20T2ON

 

[khansaheeb]

I contacted Chinese companies for Masks and they said that due to internal demand and capacity they are unable to supply until April/May. So dropping the Tariffs isn't going to make a difference. I am way ahead of the game, lol.

 

[Beast]

US will always selective when comes to their policy. They are very unreliable when comes to anything from strategic pact, friendship and business.

 

[razgriz19]

Everyone looks after their own interests. China as well. Only Pakistanis live in their own fantasies

US will always selective when comes to their policy. They are very unreliable when comes to anything from strategic pact, friendship and business.

 

[beijingwalker]

I contacted Chinese companies for Masks and they said that due to internal demand and capacity they are unable to supply until April/May. So dropping the Tariffs isn't going to make a difference. I am way ahead of the game, lol.

I bought 5 N95 masks in a local supermarket yesterday, after months of out of stock, they are back on shelves again, but quota is 5 masks per person, so yes, it's not fully meeting the requirements by the public.

 

[大汉奸柳传志]

Brilliant! one way to save our economy is to sell facemasks to America at a premium.

 

[Beast]

Everyone looks after their own interests. China as well. Only Pakistanis live in their own fantasies

Half truth, Some pakistanis blind look for Turkish brotherhood that its didnt even realise it has taken for a ride.

At least China policy is clear and agreement after signed is always upheld, not like American who can anything void any agreement based on their interest. Its dangerous to trust such country.

 

[beijingwalker]

Everyone looks after their own interests. China as well. Only Pakistanis live in their own fantasies

Pakistanis and their government also look after their own interests, only some keyboared warriors in PDF claim they put brotherhood and friendship first, but no one really believes them including themselves.

US declares Chinese face masks, medical gear tariff-free
Reuters
-
March 7, 2020 9:54 AM

WASHINGTON: The U.S. Trade Representative’s office in recent days granted exclusions from import tariffs for dozens of medical products imported from China, including face masks, hand sanitizing wipes and examination gloves, filings with the agency showed on Friday.

Many of the exclusion requests for medical products appear to have been expedited amid the rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak, with approvals granted just over one month past a Jan 31 application deadline.

Requests to exclude other products from President Donald Trump’s Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods have taken months. Apple Inc’s requests for exclusions on products from AirPod headphones to the HomePod smart speaker filed on Oct 31 are still pending.

Medline International Inc has already received exclusions on 30 products ranging from surgical gowns to face masks and medicine cups, most of which the company applied for at the end of January.

A number of the exclusions were granted on Thursday, USTR documents showed.

The products were included in a fourth round of tariffs on Chinese goods imposed by Trump on Sept 1, 2019, amid heated US-China trade negotiations.

The tariff rate on the medical products was initially set at 15%, but was lowered to 7.5% on Feb 15 as part of the Phase 1 US-China trade agreement.

The deal leaves in place tariffs on about US$370 billion worth of imports from China, including 25% duties on goods valued at around US$250 billion.

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/c...ks-medical-gear-tariff-free-as-virus-spreads/