 "China's smartphone exports to US hit decade low since 2011 amid tariff tensions")
Chinese exports of Apple Inc.’s iPhones and other mobile devices to the United States fell to their lowest level in over a decade in April, Bloomberg reported, citing official customs data. The sharp decline reflects how the looming threat of US tariffs has disrupted the flow of high-value electronics between the two countries.
According to the report, smartphone shipments from China to the US dropped 72% year-on-year to just under $700 million last month. This steep fall far exceeded the overall 21% decline in Chinese exports to the US during the same period.
According to a report by Bloomberg, the Trump administration’s tariff strategy — with levies reaching as high as 145% on Chinese imports — is severely impacting technology supply chains and shifting electronics production to other countries.
Amid heightened trade tensions, Beijing has accused Washington of derailing recent negotiations in Geneva by pursuing additional sanctions targeting Huawei Technologies Co.’s AI chip business.
In 2024, smartphones, laptops, and lithium-ion batteries ranked among the top US imports from Beijing, while China imported valuable commodities such as soybeans, oil, and semiconductor manufacturing machinery from the US.
The report also pointed out a notable rise in Chinese exports of phone components to India, where Apple has its largest iPhone production base outside China, with volumes roughly quadrupling over the past year.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsWhile Apple has increased its manufacturing footprint in India, former President Trump recently criticized the move and urged the company to bring production back to the US — a shift widely seen as impractical in the near term.
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