President Donald Trump said he delayed the imposition of 10 percent Section 301 tariffs on hundreds of Chinese products "for Christmas season, just in case some of the tariffs would have an impact on U.S. customers, which, so far, they've had virtually none. The only impact has been that we've collected almost $60 billion from China -- compliments of China."

The U.S. Trade Representative announced that some goods included on the upcoming list four of Section 301 tariffs, including laptops, computer monitors, cell phones, video game consoles, certain toys and certain items of footwear and clothing, will not face additional 10 percent tariffs until Dec. 15. The announcement said the tariff lines in question would be published on the USTR.gov website later on Aug. 13. The agency also said there will be some products excluded entirely from the new set of tariffs for health, safety, national security or "other factors," and that those tariff lines will also be published later in the day.

The U.S. Trade Representative released the tariff lines that won't face additional tariffs until December, and the list is far broader than electronics, clothes and toys. Chemicals, food, camping gear, blankets, baby items, sports equipment, watches, clocks, small appliances, wooden hangers and fireworks all are spared, along with a wide variety of clothes and electronics. The list covers more than 650 tariff lines.

The Trump administration will delay to Dec. 15 the 10 percent List 3 Section 301 tariffs on smartphones, laptops, videogame consoles and computer monitors, announced the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Tuesday morning. Delaying the tariffs on those articles appears certain to spare the consumer tech industry from passalong price increases during the peak holiday selling season. It bears watching whether the delay will prompt a rush on shipments of those items from China, as U.S. importers scramble to beat the higher duties. There was no immediate word on the fate of other products the tech industry targeted for List 4 removal, including TVs, smart speakers, smartwatches and Bluetooth headphones. Other products are being removed from List 4 entirely, “based on health, safety, national security and other factors,” said USTR. The full and final List 4 will appear on the USTR website Tuesday, it said. USTR will install a List 4 exclusion process for products with immediate tariff exposure, it said.

The Trump administration will delay to Dec. 15 the 10 percent List 3 Section 301 tariffs on smartphones, laptops, videogame consoles and computer monitors, announced the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Tuesday morning. Delaying the tariffs on those articles appears certain to spare the consumer tech industry from passalong price increases during the peak holiday selling season. It bears watching whether the delay will prompt a rush on shipments of those items from China, as U.S. importers scramble to beat the higher duties. There was no immediate word on the fate of other products the tech industry targeted for List 4 removal, including TVs, smart speakers, smartwatches and Bluetooth headphones. Other products are being removed from List 4 entirely, “based on health, safety, national security and other factors,” said USTR. The full and final List 4 will appear on the USTR website Tuesday, it said. USTR will install a List 4 exclusion process for products with immediate tariff exposure, it said.

The Trump administration will delay to Dec. 15 the 10 percent List 3 Section 301 tariffs on smartphones, laptops, videogame consoles and computer monitors, announced the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Tuesday morning. Delaying the tariffs on those articles appears certain to spare the consumer tech industry from passalong price increases during the peak holiday selling season. It bears watching whether the delay will prompt a rush on shipments of those items from China, as U.S. importers scramble to beat the higher duties. There was no immediate word on the fate of other products the tech industry targeted for List 4 removal, including TVs, smart speakers, smartwatches and Bluetooth headphones. Other products are being removed from List 4 entirely, “based on health, safety, national security and other factors,” said USTR. The full and final List 4 will appear on the USTR website Tuesday, it said. USTR will install a List 4 exclusion process for products with immediate tariff exposure, it said.

NBC Universal Television Alternative Studio names Toby Gorman, ex-Magical Elves, president ... President Donald Trump appoints National Counterterrorism Center Director Joseph Maguire acting director-national intelligence (see this section, July 30); Deputy DNI Sue Gordon resigning ... Digital Entertainment Group elects to board for terms expiring July: Erol Kalafat, Amazon Studios; Pedro Gutierrez, Microsoft; and Cheryl Goodman, Sony Electronics.

The escalating trade rhetoric between the U.S. and China should make all companies “realize (if you have not already) that this is not a temporary dispute and is not likely to be resolved anytime soon,” customs lawyer Ted Murphy with Baker & McKenzie blogged on Aug. 9. “The two sides are doubling down and digging in.” With 2020 elections “inching closer” and China’s 70th birthday of the People's Republic festivities set for October, “the political considerations associated with these events make it less likely that a deal will be reached,” he said. “As a result, companies should be re-examining/re-adjusting their supply chains and pursuing additional Section 301 mitigation strategies,” while taking “a view to the medium/long term,” Murphy said.

President Donald Trump appoints National Counterterrorism Center Director Joseph Maguire acting director-national intelligence (see this section, July 30); Deputy DNI Sue Gordon resigning ... Digital Entertainment Group elects to board for terms expiring July: Erol Kalafat, Amazon Studios; Pedro Gutierrez, Microsoft; and Cheryl Goodman, Sony Electronics.

The escalating trade rhetoric between the U.S. and China should make all companies “realize (if you have not already) that this is not a temporary dispute and is not likely to be resolved anytime soon,” blogged customs expert Ted Murphy with Baker & McKenzie Friday. “The two sides are doubling down and digging in.” With 2020 elections “inching closer” and China’s 70th birthday festivities set for October, “the political considerations associated with these events make it less likely that a deal will be reached,” he said. “As a result, companies should be re-examining/re-adjusting their supply chains and pursuing additional Section 301 mitigation strategies,” while taking “a view to the medium/long term,” said Murphy. “We’re doing very well with China,” President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House Friday. “We’re talking to China. We’re not ready to make a deal, but we’ll see what happens.” He left open the possibility of canceling the next round of trade talks in Washington in early September, which would be the 13th set of talks between the two sides since December. “The American taxpayer is not paying” for the Section 301 tariffs, said Trump, though virtually all business and trade groups called the tariffs a tax on U.S. consumers and businesses. “The tariffs have been amazing,” he said. “We’re taking in billions and billions of dollars” from the Chinese, he said falsely. Expect the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to remove few items from 10 percent List 4 Section 301 tariff exposure when the final list comes out any day, blogged trade consultant David Trumbull of Agathon Associates Thursday. “Given the current state of U.S.-China trade talks, which are at the coldest ever, there is little likelihood of averting tariffs” when they’re due to take effect Sept. 1, he said. “In view of the way” the List 3 tariffs were hiked to 25 percent from 10 percent when talks turned sour with the Chinese, “we believe that if this trade dispute continues into 2020, there is substantial risk” of List 4 being hiked to 25 percent, he said.