Govt condemns US for imposition of additional 10pc duty on HK products

The HKSAR government on Tuesday expressed strong disapproval of the imposition of an additional 10 percent duty on Hong Kong products, urging the US to take immediate action to withdraw the unilateral tariff measures.

This comes after US President Donald Trump signed an order to hike the 10 percent tariff on products of China and Hong Kong to 20 percent. 

A spokesperson for the government noted that the latest measure is grossly inconsistent with the relevant World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and reiterated plans to file a complaint regarding the matter with the WTO to defend Hong Kong's legitimate rights.

"The HKSAR Government strongly opposes any unreasonable behavior that disregards the international trade order," the spokesman stressed.

Separately, small parcels with a retail value of up to US$800 from Hong Kong will still benefit from a duty-free exemption, despite the White House's announcement last month that the "de minimis" exemption for Chinese products would be abolished.