HONG KONG — Hong Kong will file a criticism in opposition to new U.S. tariffs on the southern Chinese language metropolis’s merchandise with the World Commerce Group, its authorities mentioned on Friday.
The U.S. imposed an extra 10% tariff on Chinese language items and ended a customs exception that allowed small-value parcels to enter the U.S. with out paying tax.
The measures have already prompted China to request WTO dispute consultations with the U.S., in addition to announce retaliatory tariffs on choose American imports and an antitrust investigation into Google.
In a press release, the Hong Kong authorities slammed the U.S. measures as “grossly inconsistent with the related WTO guidelines” and mentioned that they had ignored town’s standing as a separate customs territory. It urged the U.S. to rectify its acts.
This isn’t the primary time Hong Kong has taken its commerce disputes with the U.S. to the WTO. Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to Chinese language rule in 1997, operates as a semi-autonomous metropolis with separate financial and social methods from mainland China.
Throughout U.S. President Donald Trump’s earlier time period, Hong Kong had complained in opposition to the U.S. requirement for city-produced exports to be labeled “Made in China”. In 2022, arbitrators on the WTO concluded that the U.S. was out of line in requiring that merchandise from Hong Kong be labeled as such.
The WTO confirmed Tuesday it acquired discover of China’s request for consultations with the U.S. relating to the tariffs imposed on Chinese language items. The transfer units off a 60-day interval for the 2 sides to resolve their variations, and if not, the case will be introduced earlier than a three-judge panel on the Geneva-based commerce physique.
Nevertheless, the WTO’s dispute-resolution course of has been stymied in recent times as a number of U.S. administrations blocked appointments of judges on its appeals courtroom.
Individually, Hong Kong’s publish workplace introduced late Thursday it will proceed to droop delivery objects containing items to america till additional discover, regardless of its American counterpart having reversed its ban on packages from town and different components of China.
The Hong Kong authorities mentioned in a press release that Hongkong Submit was in talks with the U.S. postal administration however additional clarification was nonetheless wanted on sure issues, together with over a tariff. It reiterated its sturdy disapproval over the U.S. imposition of extra responsibility on Hong Kong merchandise, urging the U.S. to take “pressing actions to rectify its wrongdoing.”
The U.S. publish workplace had introduced Tuesday that it will not settle for parcels from China, together with Hong Kong. It reversed course Wednesday however gave no cause, saying it will work with Customs and Border Safety to implement a group course of for the brand new tariffs to keep away from supply disruptions.
Though the ban was short-lived and the U-turn got here throughout the similar day for individuals who dwell in Hong Kong time zone, it confused those that needed to publish to the U.S. from the buying and selling hub.
It additionally sparked considerations over the potential affect on on-line procuring platforms like Shein and Temu, widespread with youthful consumers within the U.S. for affordable clothes and different merchandise, normally shipped straight from China.
Low cost, direct postal service helps these firms hold prices low, as did the “de minimis” exemption that beforehand allowed shipments to go tax-free if their worth is beneath $800.
The U.S. imported about $427 billion value of products from China in 2023, in keeping with the U.S. Census Bureau. Client electronics, together with cellphones, computer systems and different tech equipment, make up the largest import classes.
