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

3 January 2020
(Last updated on 22 April 2020)

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 12/2020

US : Section 301 Tariffs on Mainland Products Worth US$200 billion - Seventh Batch of Products Excluded from Additional Tariffs

The US Trade Representative (USTR) announced on 31 December 2019 the seventh batch of products to be excluded from the additional tariffs imposed on Mainland products worth approximately US$200 billion ("List 3") under the Section 301 investigation and the official Federal Register (FR) notice was issued on 6 January 2020. These product exclusions will be retroactive to 24 September 2018, and remain in place until 7 August 2020. The USTR will continue to issue decisions on pending requests on a periodic basis.

DETAILS

2.On 24 September 2018, the US imposed an additional tariff of 10% on Mainland imports worth approximately US$200 billion ("List 3") under the Section 301 investigation. The tariff was increased from 10% to 25% on 10 May 2019. The USTR also initiated an exclusion process for stakeholders to submit requests for the exclusion of specific products from the additional tariffs. Subsequently, the USTR announced six batches of excluded products from August to December 2019. For details, please refer to Commercial Information Circular nos. 594/2019, 703/2019, 771/2019, 811/2019, 858/2019, 900/2019 dated 5 August 2019, 19 September 2019, 24 October 2019, 8 November 2019, 27 November 2019 and 13 December 2019 respectively.

3.The USTR announced on 31 December 2019 the seventh batch of products to be excluded from the additional tariffs. The products include two existing 10-digit HTSUS subheadings 8712.00.1510 and 8712.00.1550 covering bicycles (not motorized) having both wheels not exceeding 50 cm in diameter; and those having both wheels exceeding 55 cm but not exceeding 63.5 cm in diameter; as well as 66 specially prepared product descriptions, covering nonwoven wipes; briefcases with outer surface of leather; woven fabric of 100% textured polyester filaments; woven fabric of synthetic filament yarn containing 85% or more by weight of textured polyester filaments; woven dupioni fabric wholly of non-textured dyed polyester filaments; woven fabric wholly of polyester; safes of 16 gauge carbon steel; telescoping poles of steel / aluminum; lubricating pumps for internal combustion piston engines; ventilation fans for motor vehicles; wireless battery chargers for mobile phones; digital color video cameras for use with microscopes; bicycle saddles; compound binocular optical microscopes; chair frames of metal; wheeled trays, baby crib liners; light boxes; etc. On 26 March 2020, the USTR further granted five specially prepared product descriptions covering certain ventilation fans for motor vehicles.

4.These product exclusions will be retroactive to 24 September 2018, and remain in place until 7 August 2020. The exclusions are available for any product that meets the description set out in the exclusion, regardless of whether the importer filed an exclusion request. The USTR will continue to issue decisions on pending requests on a periodic basis.

5.For further details, please refer to the relevant notices:

  • FR notice on the seventh batch of products excluded from Section 301 tariffs (6 January 2020):
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-01-06/pdf/2019-28506.pdf
  • Additional product exclusions announced on 26 March 2020:
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-03-26/pdf/2020-06276.pdf
  • US Customs and Border Protection's guidance note on filing entries for products excluded from Section 301 Tariffs (List 3) (18 February 2020):
    https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-27c55b5?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2

ENQUIRIES

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

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Arcadia LAU)
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.