Second Batch of Government Subsidies: 62.5 Billion Yuan for Phones, Appliances, ACs, and Computers

On April 14, the second batch of government subsidies, totaling 62.5 billion yuan, was officially released.

This subsidy covers big-ticket items like phones, appliances, air conditioners, and computers, valid until December 31, 2026. Honestly, if you don’t claim it, you’re leaving money on the table.

But many people ask: How exactly do I claim it? How much can I save? Don’t worry—I’ll walk you through it step by step.

First, What Are Government Subsidies?

Government subsidies, formally called “trade-in consumer subsidies,” are policies the government launched to stimulate consumption and promote appliance upgrades.

Simply put: You buy new appliances/phones, the government subsidizes part of the cost.

The total 2026 subsidy pool is 250 billion yuan, released in four batches. The first batch is already gone—this is the second batch, 62.5 billion yuan.

How Much Subsidy Can You Get?

According to the latest policy, subsidies fall into three tiers:

Tier 1: Phones, Tablets, Computers

• Under 2000 yuan: 200 yuan subsidy
• 2000-4000 yuan: 400 yuan subsidy
• Over 4000 yuan: 600 yuan subsidy

Tier 2: Appliances (Refrigerators, Washing Machines, TVs, etc.)

• Tier-1 energy efficiency: 15% of price, up to 800 yuan
• Tier-2 energy efficiency: 10% of price, up to 500 yuan

Tier 3: Air Conditioners

• Tier-1 energy efficiency: 600 yuan subsidy
• Tier-2 energy efficiency: 400 yuan subsidy

My personal takeaway: AC and appliance subsidies are most generous, phone and tablet subsidies relatively smaller.

How to Claim: Step-by-Step

Honestly, it’s not complicated, but many people don’t know where to claim.

Method 1: JD Platform

1. Open JD app, search “trade-in” or “government subsidy”
2. Select the product you want (must participate in subsidy program)
3. At checkout, system automatically recognizes subsidy amount
4. Confirm and it’s deducted directly

JD has an extra benefit: old device recycling subsidy. For example, if you buy a new phone, your old phone can have trade-in value—makes it an even better deal.

Method 2: Tmall Platform

1. Open Taobao/Tmall app, search “government subsidy”
2. Enter campaign page, click “claim subsidy”
3. Select product and checkout—subsidy automatically deducted

Tmall’s process is also simple, though subsidy amounts are sometimes lower than JD.

Method 3: Offline Stores

If you prefer buying offline, you can still claim subsidies. Bring your ID card to participating stores (Gome, Suning, etc.), and staff will help you process it.

But I personally recommend buying online—prices are more transparent, subsidies clearer.

Pitfalls to Avoid

Here are common traps I’ve identified:

Trap 1: Assuming all products have subsidies

Not all phones and appliances participate in government subsidies. Only products marked “participating in trade-in” qualify.

Check carefully before buying, or you’ll place an order only to discover it’s ineligible—wasted excitement.

Trap 2: Subsidies and coupons don’t stack

This varies by platform. JD allows stacking, Tmall partially allows it for some products, Pinduoduo generally doesn’t.

Ask customer service before ordering to confirm stacking eligibility.

Trap 3: Buying ineligible products

Government subsidies require new products—used or refurbished items don’t qualify. Also must be purchased in mainland China; overseas purchases don’t count.

Some people bought overseas-version phones to save money, only to find they can’t use subsidies—big loss.

My Purchase Recommendations

Here are products I think are worth buying:

Phones: Huawei Mate 70, iPhone 15, Xiaomi 14
These models are in the 4000-6000 yuan range, 600 yuan subsidy works out to good value.

Air Conditioners: Gree, Midea, Haier Tier-1 energy efficiency ACs
600 yuan subsidy, plus platform promotions, basically saves around 1000 yuan.

Appliances: Haier refrigerators, Siemens washing machines, Sony TVs
Tier-1 energy efficiency gives 15% subsidy; these are priced 3000-5000 yuan, saving 500-800 yuan.

Final Thoughts

Government subsidies are good policy, but only if you know how to use them.

Don’t impulse-buy just because there’s a subsidy—ask yourself: Do I really need this? Do I have space? What do I do with the old one?

Remember, the purpose of saving money is to make life better, not to pile up unnecessary stuff.

Whether it’s worth spending is for you to decide. I just tell you how to claim—buying or not is your call.

Don’t ask how I know all this—I’ve already made these mistakes.