What will be more expensive for the war of tariffs between Trump and China?

CNN
–

Do you need a new computer, a TV or phone? You may want to consider buying one now.

This is because, on the morning of this Tuesday, President Donald Trump promulgated a new 10% general tariff on Chinese products.

Economists warn that tariffs harm US companies, many of whom are still recovering from the inflation of recent years. Tariffs are paid by American importers, not the countries to which Trump has stated. Those costs are often transferred to retailers and, ultimately, American consumers.

Unlike Mexico and Canada, which largely avoid exports to the United States due to the current T-MEC commercial agreement that Trump signed in its first mandate, a wide range of Chinese products already faced tariffs before Tuesday . (Trump also ordered 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian products, but delayed them until March 1).

In addition to the new 10% tariff, Chinese products are subject to additional tariffs: a 100% tariff on electric vehicles and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum products. However, there were several articles were exempt from tariffs.

One of the greatest exemptions had been consumer electronics. But that exemption is no longer in force with the new general tariffs. That is important because consumer electronics are among the main products that the United States imported from China last year, according to federal commercial data.

The communications teams represented 12%, or US $ 47 billion, of the US $ 401 billion in goods that the United States imported from China last year, not counting December, which makes it the main category of goods that The United States imported from that country. December commercial data will be published on Wednesday.

Beijing citizens talk about Trump’s commercial tariffs to China

Beijing citizens talk about Trump’s commercial tariffs to China

00:51

Communications teams include everything from cell phones to televisions and satellites, according to the classification system used by the United States government.

With a value of US $ 39 billion, the second largest category of goods that the United States imported from China last year was the computer equipment. That includes tablets, laptops, monitors and essentially all the components that feed them, such as semiconductor chips and network interface cards.

Then comes a category of US $ 37 billion considered “diverse manufactured products” that the United States imported from China last year. Toys, jewelry, silverware and sports equipment are among the goods included in that wide category.

Like many electronic consumer products, this group of products have practically escaped many of the current tariffs on Chinese products imported to the United States.

The prices of shoes and sports shoes are also expected to increase. The footwear industry is particularly exposed to tariffs because approximately 99% of all shoes and sports shoes sold in the United States are imported, mainly from China and Vietnam, according to the distributors and retailers of the United States shoes (FDRA , for its acronym in English)

“If you want to make a list of ways to increase prices, this would be at the top. It is totally counterproductive, ”said Matt Priest, president and executive director of the FDRA to CNN in a telephone interview on Monday. “We pay the tariffs. American consumers pay tariffs. These are not sources of external income. They are internal. ”

The commercial group represents Nike, DSW, Under Armor and dozens of other brands.

So when will consumers feel the impact of the 10%tariff?

It is likely that prices do not immediately increase in the products that enter the United States from China: the products were stored for a long time. But as the inventories are liquidated and new Chinese articles arrive in the country, US consumers will begin to feel the load.

A factor that complicates the situation: some retailers can absorb the highest costs of tariffs, especially if they have accumulated additional inventory in advance.

But others may not afford it, in which case consumers could expect to see price increases in the near future.

Matt Egan de CNN contributed to this report.