Apple’s Watches excluded from US tariffs on China imports

Apple Inc.’s request for its popular watches to be excluded from tariffs on Chinese imports was approved by the U.S. Trade Representative, according to a letter dated Friday from USTR to the company.

President Donald Trump imposed a 15% tariff on a list of goods in September that included the Apple watch. He cut in half those tariffs as part of an initial trade deal with Beijing that went into effect Feb. 15.

Apple argued in its request last year that its product, as a consumer electronic device, should be exempted because “it is not strategically important or related to ‘Made in China 2025’ or other Chinese industrial programs.”

The company also said it had not identified a source outside of China that is able to meet U.S. demand for this product in the coming year.

An Apple spokesman said the company had nothing to add to the filing.