Hong Kong officials strongly condemned the United States’ decision to further impose so-called reciprocal tariffs on goods from Hong Kong and small goods parcels sent from the city, calling the move “bullying and unreasonable”.
The US announced on Wednesday Hong Kong time a fresh round of tariffs against goods and small goods parcels from Hong Kong, cancelling duty-free de minimis treatment for low-value postal items, effective May 2, subjecting goods under $800 to steep tariffs — either 90 percent or $75. It will be further increased to $150 after June 1 – a three-fold jump from the planned $50 slated for June 1.
A Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government spokesman criticized the US for abandoning free trade principles and undermining World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.
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“The US is seriously impeding the multilateral trading system and globalization process, and disrupting the global supply chain. Its measures are bullying and unreasonable,” the spokesman said.
The government dismissed the US’ justification for imposing additional tariffs as “totally illogical and ungrounded”, arguing that Hong Kong has never imposed tariffs on US goods, and lashed out at the act as bullying aimed at suppressing competitors.
As the new US policy continued to create confusion and inconvenience to local senders, officials urged the public to prepare for potential disruptions and additional costs when sending goods to the US.
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The spokesman also confirmed that Hongkong Post will not collect any so-called tariffs on behalf of American authorities while postal services to the US will continue for now. Temporary suspension arrangements will be announced later.
The government also vowed to take countermeasures, including filing a complaint through the WTO dispute settlement mechanism, and pledged to work closely with businesses to resist “the unreasonable coercion of the US”.
