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Ref. :EIC 111/3
EIC 111/3/13
15 January 2026
(Updated on 20 January 2026)
Dear Sirs,
The US President on 14 January 2026 signed a proclamation invoking section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to impose a 25% tariff on imports of certain advanced computing chips and certain derivative products with effect from 15 January 2026.
DETAILS
2.Concurring with the US Secretary of Commerce’s finding under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 that semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing equipment and their derivative products are being imported into the US in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the US, on 14 January 2026, the US President signed a proclamation invoking section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to impose a 25% tariff on the import of certain advanced computing chips and certain derivative products described in the Annex to the proclamation. This tariff shall be effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, with effect from 15 January 2026, and shall continue in effect, unless such action is expressly reduced, modified, or terminated. This tariff is in addition to any other duties, fees, exactions, and charges applicable to such imported semiconductors, unless stated otherwise in this proclamation.
3.On the other hand, this tariff shall not apply to chips that are imported to support the buildout of the US technology supply chain and the strengthening of domestic manufacturing capacity for derivatives of semiconductors. In addition, if any covered product is subject to tariffs under both this proclamation and other section 232 proclamations, the covered product shall be subject to the terms and duties imposed under this proclamation and not those imposed pursuant to any other section 232 proclamation. Covered products subject to the tariff of this proclamation shall not be subject to reciprocal tariffs. No drawback shall be available with respect to the duties imposed pursuant to this proclamation.
4.For further details, please refer to the presidential proclamation, the White House’s fact sheet, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)’s message and the Federal Register (FR) notice:
Presidential proclamation
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/01/adjusting-imports-of-semiconductors-semiconductor-manufacturing-equipment-and-their-derivative-products-into-the-united-states/
White House’s fact sheet
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/01/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-takes-action-on-certain-advanced-computing-chips-to-protect-americas-economic-and-national-security/
US CBP’s Cargo Systems Messaging Service Message - Guidance - Section 232 Import Duties on Semiconductors and their Derivative Products
https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-4047318?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2
FR notice
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-01-20/pdf/2026-01052.pdf
5.For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact us at telephone number 2398 5405.
Yours faithfully,
(Miss Kwany KOU)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry
Note: While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.