Apple Urges US Government Not To Impose Tariffs On Its Products Made In China - Statement

Apple Urges US Government Not to Impose Tariffs on Its Products Made in China - Statement

New US import tariffs on Apple's products assembled in China could hurt the tech giant's contribution to the US economy and it urges the government not to impose tariffs on those products, the Cupertino-based company said in a statement released on Thursday

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th June, 2019) New US import tariffs on Apple's products assembled in China could hurt the tech giant's contribution to the US economy and it urges the government not to impose tariffs on those products, the Cupertino-based company said in a statement released on Thursday.

"The proposed tariff list covers all of Apple's major products, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, and AppleTV, as well as the parts and batteries used to repair products in the United States. The proposed tariffs also cover accessories that Apple makes for these devices, such as monitors and keyboards. A list of the proposed tariff codes that cover Apple's products is attached at Annex A. We urge the U.S. Government not to impose tariffs on these products ... The Impact of Tariffs U.S. tariffs on Apple's products would result in a reduction of Apple's U.S. economic contribution," Apple said in comments on the proposed tariffs addressed to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer.

Apple added that new US tariffs on such products would also weigh on the company's global competitiveness.

In the statement, Apple highlighted its importance for the US economy.

"Apple is also the largest U.S. corporate taxpayer to the U.S. Treasury and pays billions more each year in local property, sales, and employee taxes," the statement said.

Apple also pledged to open new sites and add new jobs to its US employee base.

As trade talks stalled between Beijing and Washington, US President Donald Trump threatened to escalate trade tensions further by charging 25 percent of import duties on Chinese goods valued at $300 billion. The USTR released a proposed list of Chinese goods under consideration in May.

If tariffs on Chinese goods included in the proposed list go into effect, almost all of Chinese exports to the United States would be subject to 25 percent of import duties.

Trump is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the upcoming G20 summit in Japan next week to try to find solutions to ongoing trade frictions.

Apple allegedly is contemplating plans to move 15-30 percent of its production capacity out of China, the Nikkei Asian Review reported on Wednesday.