US and China Agree on Tariff Pause, Gadget Prices May Now Stabilize

Tariffs between the United States and China are set to be paused after the first significant negotiations between the two countries since higher fees were imposed in April.

After negotiations in Switzerland over the weekend, both countries have agreed to lower tariffs by 115%. That leaves the US tariff on Chinese imports at 30%, while the response tariffs from China on US goods will be cut to 10%.

The 90-day pause is hoped to allow the two countries to negotiate a longer term trade deal. The tariff pause begins on May 14.

The pause comes as a relief for consumer technology brands and retailers that have been scrambling to figure out whether price increases are necessary alongside other impacts on their day-to-day business.

Some brands have chosen to pass the tariff onto customers, while others have limited US citizens from buying products imported from China. Retro game handheld maker Anbernic was among the first to suspend orders.

The 90-day pause will end in early August. Tech brands and retailers will likely continue to plan for the possibility of a failure in trade talks, but this should mean customers won’t see wildly swinging prices or complicated processes introduced for the foreseeable.

It will also give brands another three months to continue to stockpile existing products in the US in case of a breakdown in trade talks.

This new pause will not revert the de minimis exception that went into effect on May 2. That previously allowed businesses to import goods under $800 without any extra duties attached. China-based retailer Temu has since restricted customers to only be able to buy from US-based warehouses.

The tariffs have been the defining story of 2025 for the tech industry. Keyboard maker Das spoke to PCMag last week its founder, Daniel Guermeur, saying, “There’s a fork in the road for the keyboard market, and the fork in the road is called Trump.”

About James Peckham

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I’ve written tech news for over a decade, and as a Reporter at PCMag, I cover the latest developments across the gadgets and services you use every day. Previously, I worked for Android Police, TechRadar, and more.

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