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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
MY COLOUR

Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref. : EIC 111/2/18
EIC 111/3
EIC 111/3/13
CR EIC 111/1/13/3

30 August 2019
(updated on 3 September 2019)

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 665/2019

US : Section 301 Tariffs on Mainland Products Worth US$250 billion - Seeking Public Comment on Proposed Increase of Tariffs from 25% to 30%

Further to Commercial Information Circular (CIC) No. 642/2019 dated 26 August 2019 regarding the US' further 5% increase of additional tariffs under the Section 301 investigation, the US Trade Representative (USTR) posted a notice on 28 August 2019 seeking public comment on the proposed increase of additional tariffs from 25% to 30% on Mainland products worth US$250 billion effective on 1 October 2019.  Written comments must be submitted to the US by 20 September 2019.

DETAILS

2.The US has earlier imposed additional 25% tariffs on Mainland products worth approximately US$250 billion (List 1: US$34 billion; List 2: US$16 billion; List 3: US$200 billion) under the US' Section 301 investigation against Mainland China.  For details, please refer to CIC Nos. 582/2018, 759/2018 and 426/2019 dated 19 June 2018, 8 August 2018 and 3 June 2019 respectively.

3.On 23 August 2019, the USTR announced to increase the additional tariff rates on approximately US$550 billion worth of Mainland products (Lists 1 to 4) by five more percent.  Specifically, the additional tariffs for US$250 billion worth of Mainland products (i.e. Lists 1, 2 and 3) will increase from 25% to 30% effective 1 October 2019.

4.The USTR is seeking public comments with respect to the proposed increase of additional tariffs from 25% to 30% on Mainland products worth US$250 billion (i.e. Lists 1, 2 and 3) effective 1 October 2019, including whether increasing the tariff rate would cause disproportionate economic harm to US interests, including small-or medium-sized businesses and consumers.

5.Written comments to the USTR must be in English and be sent electronically via www.regulations.gov (the docket number is USTR-2019-0015) by 20 September 2019.  For details, please refer to the Federal Register notice  at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-09-03/pdf/2019-18946.pdf.

ENQUIRIES

6.For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact Miss K Y HO at 2398 5405 or 2398 5282.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Ivy TAM)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry

Note: While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.