Apple asks for its products to be exempt from US tariffs

[midian182]

In a nutshell: Apple has asked the Trump administration for its products to be excluded from US tariffs on goods manufactured in China, arguing that they are “not strategically important or related to ‘Made in China 2025’ or other Chinese industrial programs.”

As reported by Reuters, Apple is seeking tariff exclusions from 11 products, including HomePod speakers, iMacs, parts used for repairing iPhones, iPhone smart battery cases, AirPods, and others.

Apple, which is reliant on China for manufacturing its products and parts, is looking for an exemption from the 15 percent tariffs introduced on September 1. The company submitted its exemption request on the first day the Trump administration started accepting them.

Apple has been here before. Back in July, it filed exemption requests with the Office of the US Trade Representative, asking for 15 components, many designed for the new Mac Pro, to be excluded from the import tariffs on Chinese goods.

August saw Tim Cook and President Trump meet to discuss the implication of the US-China trade war on Apple. The CEO showed that the tariffs would have less of an effect on its main rival Samsung.

Apple claims it would be contributing $350 billion to the US economy by 2023, and that it supports up to 2.4 million American jobs.

Cook confirmed that Apple is currently “paying some tariffs today, as you know, some that went into effect pre-September and some others that went into effect in September. So we are paying some.”

Apple isn’t the only firm to make this request. Fitbit, which was acquired by Google on Friday, asked the government to waive tariffs on its fitness trackers. It said that “the vast majority of global production capacity for wrist-wearable communications devices is in China.”

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https://www.techspot.com/news/82612-apple-asks-products-exempt-us-tariffs.html

 

[Roy Mepham]

Apple must pay the same tariff as any other company that tries to circumvent taxes. If it's made in China, then it is imported and therefore incurs a tariff.

 

[dangh]

Would be funny if China would put same export taxes on their side for any exemption given
This trade war is not helping anybody except already rich companies. New startups relying on cheap Chinese technology will have to deal with higher initial cost and have no power to request an exemption.

 

[ShagnWagn]

It takes balls to ask this, especially when you have how many billions of $$ in cash?? That is a N-O. Impose a penalty of $1 billion for even asking, plus wasting time.

 

[p51d007]

Nope! No special favors for ANY corporation. You went to China, because they have basically slave labor, building things CHEAP, then, you distribute and sell them globally at a SUBSTANTIALLY increased price, which makes the stockholders happy.
They COULD bring it back to the USA, or another not so communist country, and take a lesser profit, but they won't. It's a company. They care about nothing, but profit.
I don't have a problem with profit, but when companies have CEO's that "make" hundreds of times more than their employees, it gives capitalism a bad name, and makes it easier for people to THINK socialism is a better way.

 

[treetops]

You cannot bring these jobs back to the USA. Americans will not work for 31 cents a day. We made the global economy what it is. Forcing China not to rely on us is a huge mistake.

 

[wiyosaya]

Nope! No special favors for ANY corporation. You went to China, because they have basically slave labor, building things CHEAP, then, you distribute and sell them globally at a SUBSTANTIALLY increased price, which makes the stockholders happy.
They COULD bring it back to the USA, or another not so communist country, and take a lesser profit, but they won't. It's a company. They care about nothing, but profit.
I don't have a problem with profit, but when companies have CEO's that "make" hundreds of times more than their employees, it gives capitalism a bad name, and makes it easier for people to THINK socialism is a better way.

Not to mention the some $400bn that crApple has in the bank. That would go a long way toward pay for their employees, and I think it also speaks to the obscene profits they make.

 

[Uncle Al]

It's' a double edged sword. On moral grounds Apple should not be shown any more consideration than any other company. From the financial aspect the tariffs significantly increase the cost of their products (that is, cost to us, not to Apple, they just pass them through). Considering that Apple has chosen to be in bed with China and could just as easily move their operations to somewhere like Vietnam I would lean toward the NO answer, especially considering how much cash on hand they have to spend ......

 

[candle_86]

You cannot bring these jobs back to the USA. Americans will not work for 31 cents a day. We made the global economy what it is. Forcing China not to rely on us is a huge mistake.

You can bring them back, maybe tighten the belt a little, for Christ's sake apple could charge 5 grand for it's next phone the apple fanatics would mortgage their grandmother's home to buy it.

 

[yRaz]

People don't see the true cost of doing business in China. We get cheaper products at the cost of human rights. Of course stuff is cheaper if it's made with child slave labor but all anyone cares about is a cheaper iPhone.

They have suicide nets around the factors because working conditions are so bad. Are the human rights violations the reasons for these tariffs? No, but I'll take it either way.

 

[wiyosaya]

People don't see the true cost of doing business in China. We get cheaper products at the cost of human rights. Of course stuff is cheaper if it's made with child slave labor but all anyone cares about is a cheaper iPhone.

They have suicide nets around the factors because working conditions are so bad. Are the human rights violations the reasons for these tariffs? No, but I'll take it either way.

I agree that is a big part of the story, but like I said above, having $400bn in the bank speaks to the profits crApple is making, which, to me anyway, is an indicator they could reduce their profits by bringing manufacturing back to the US and still make a reasonable profit.

It would not surprise me if the cry of "but we have to make it there otherwise it would be too expensive" is pure PR for crApple to play CYA.

 

[toooooot]

**** you Apple, **** you! You would build all your stores in China if people in USA kept buying your products.
You dont deserve any exemptions.

 

[Capaill]

People don't see the true cost of doing business in China. We get cheaper products at the cost of human rights. Of course stuff is cheaper if it's made with child slave labor but all anyone cares about is a cheaper iPhone.

They have suicide nets around the factors because working conditions are so bad. Are the human rights violations the reasons for these tariffs? No, but I'll take it either way.

Yes. We are empowering China. Empowering them to break more human rights. Empowering them to spread their influence around the world. Empowering them to become dominant in so many industries by giving them our products. And all because companies want to make money in the short term.

But that's what Business is. It doesn't care you about you or anyone else, it only cares about "me me me". It's up to the governments to protect its citizens in the short, medium and long-term and to curtail Business if necessary. Alas, most governments now are just an extension of the various Businesses that are making all the decisions. Short term profit > long term strength. A government term is only a few years, what do they care what happens in 10 years time. As long as pockets get lined, offshore bank accounts get filled and a political party doesn't lose votes, then it's business as usual.

 

[LeroN]

How to become the most rich company in the world? It's easy!

Build it in China.
Sell it in US for a huge price.
Get off US tariffs.

 

[magdziam]

The simple answer is "no" I guess.

 

[Gars]

Its simple, we ask to double the income
whats ur percent sir?

 

[umbala]

Ah, rich people always wanting just a little more.

 

[yeeeeman]

There is 0 chances Trump will agree with this.

 

[m3tavision]

Apple CEO is a little b!tch that thinks that all Americans work for him.

 

[wiyosaya]

Apple CEO is a little b!tch that thinks that all Americans work for him.

IMO, its worse than that. He wants to rule the world by any means necessary.