Hong Kong lodges WTO complaint over 10% US tariff on imports

The government said the tariffs are grossly inconsistent with the relevant WTO rules.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will file a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over the announcement by the US to impose an additional 10% duty on Hong Kong products.

The government said that the measures are grossly inconsistent with the relevant WTO rules and ignore Hong Kong’s status as a separate customs territory as stipulated in Article 116 of the Basic Law and recognised by the WTO.

The Hong Kong SAR said it will formally launch procedures in accordance with the WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism against the US' unreasonable measures to defend its legitimate rights.
     
In addition to reiterating that Hong Kong is a staunch supporter of the rule-based multilateral trading system, the Hong Kong SAR government said it strongly opposes the US' measures and urges it to take immediate actions to rectify its wrongdoing.

“As a founding member of the WTO, the Hong Kong SAR has all along been upholding the principle of free and unimpeded trade. The Hong Kong SAR Government strongly opposes any attempts to undermine the city's reputation and erode its status as a separate customs territory. The Hong Kong SAR Government urged the US to take urgent action to rectify the notice as well as lift the suspension of accepting inbound postal items containing goods from Hongkong Post as a matter of priority,” the government said in a statement.