In 2018, former U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a series of tariffs on imports from multiple countries, most notably China, as part of the "America First" policy. These tariffs aimed to protect the American industry, especially in steel, aluminum, and technology, and to curb what Trump considered unfair trade practices by China.
How to reduce or eliminate tariffs
Reducing or eliminating these tariffs is usually done through:
• Bilateral negotiations between the United States and the affected countries, especially China.
• Executive decisions from the current U.S. president.
• Recommendations from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) or pressures from Congress and chambers of commerce.
• Temporary measures such as suspending tariffs on certain products or sectors.
Benefiting from price increases
• American companies importing raw materials and components whose costs have risen due to tariffs.
• The American consumer who bears the burden of rising prices.
• Chinese or foreign companies that were harmed by the decline in their exports to the United States.
• The technology sector that relies on global supply chains.
In 2025, the issue of Trump's tariffs came back to the forefront after several years of economic and political debate. These tariffs, which were imposed between 2018 and 2020, continued to affect global trade, especially with China.
How to reduce or eliminate tariffs in 2025
This year, the current U.S. president's administration (whether Trump or another if he returns or his competitor continues) began reviewing these tariffs as part of a reassessment of trade policy with China and other countries. The measures included:
• Direct negotiations between the U.S. trade representative and his Chinese counterpart.
• Recommendations from the U.S. Department of Commerce to ease tariffs on some consumer and technology goods.
• Executive decisions to freeze or temporarily reduce some tariffs.
• Pressures from major American companies in electronics and automobiles.
Beneficiaries of the decision in 2025
• American companies that rely on importing raw materials and components from China.
• The American consumer who started suffering from inflation and rising prices of goods.
• Technology companies like Apple and Tesla that were affected by supply chains.
• The global economy that saw this move as a signal for trade easing.
Reason for the visit in 2025
In mid-2025, a high-level visit from a Chinese delegation to Washington took place, at the invitation of the U.S. government, to discuss:
• Reduction in trade escalation.
• Reorganizing economic relations.
• Reaching a phased agreement to reduce reciprocal tariffs.
Representatives from chambers of commerce and major companies also participated in the visit to support the negotiations.
Consequences of reduction or elimination
• Positives:
• A decrease in the prices of some goods in the U.S. market.
• Stability in financial markets.
• Strengthening trust among trading partners.
• Negatives:
• Internal criticisms from American industries that benefited from tariff protection.
• Accusations against the government of "softness towards China" in some political circles.
• A temporary decline in profits for some local companies competing with Chinese goods.
