According to Eric Chan, Hong Kong’s chief secretary, on Tuesday, the city is planning to file a complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding recent U.S. tariffs, arguing that the U.S. has overlooked Hong Kong’s distinct status as a separate customs area.
Chan criticized the U.S. measures as inconsistent with WTO regulations and expressed the intention to lodge a complaint against what he described as an unjust arrangement, although he did not provide detailed specifics.
The comments followed the U.S. decision to impose a 10% tariff on imports from Hong Kong, part of President Donald Trump’s broader strategy targeting Chinese goods.
This came on the heels of the U.S. Postal Service suspending, then swiftly resuming, acceptance of mail and packages from China and Hong Kong. The abrupt decisions led to confusion among retailers and shipping companies unsure of how to navigate the new tariff rules.
The tariff move also aimed at eliminating the “de minimis” duty exemption for packages valued below $800, with the intention of reducing fentanyl trafficking into the U.S.
Previously, Hong Kong benefited from being a free-trade hub, but China’s enforcement of a national security law in 2020 strained U.S.-Hong Kong relations.
In response, the U.S. removed Hong Kong’s special trade status, requiring exports from the city to be labeled as “made in China,” stripping away a crucial trading advantage Hong Kong once held.
