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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

21 February 2020
(Last updated on 29 May 2020)

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 138/2020

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

The US Trade Representative (USTR) announced on 19 February 2020 the ninth 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 20 February 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 eight batches of excluded products from August 2019 to January 2020. For details, please refer to Commercial Information Circular nos. 594/2019, 703/2019, 771/2019, 811/2019, 858/2019, 900/2019, 12/2020 and 89/2020 dated 5 August 2019, 19 September 2019, 24 October 2019, 8 November 2019, 27 November 2019, 13 December 2019, 3 January 2020 and 5 February 2020 respectively.

3. The USTR announced on 19 February 2020 the ninth batch of products to be excluded from the additional tariffs. The products include one existing 10-digit HTSUS subheading 6505.00.8015 covering nonwoven disposable headgear without peaks or visors; as well as 46 specially prepared product descriptions, covering titanium dioxide; mechanical articles for motor vehicles; leather covers; two-layer wood flooring; bleached and unbleached fabrics wholly of cotton; woven fabrics of synthetic filament yarn; sheeting fabrics containing less than 85% by weight of artificial staple fibers; nonwoven fabrics of polyethylene terephthalate (PET); fabrics wholly of polyester; knitted or crocheted fabrics of artificial staple fibers derived from bamboo; portable outdoor cookers; shovels of aluminum; fuel filters for internal combustion engines; digital electronic scales; lottery ticket vending terminals; single phase AC motors; 48 V rectifiers for telecommunications wireline and wireless apparatus; power supplies; electrical inverters; cable lugs of copper; toddler beds of wood; parts of office furniture; etc.

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 ninth batch of products excluded from Section 301 tariffs (20 February 2020) and subsequent amendment (28 May 2020):
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-02-20/pdf/2020-03377.pdf
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-05-28/pdf/2020-11426.pdf
  • US Customs and Border Protection's guidance note on filing entries for products excluded from Section 301 Tariffs (List 3) (12 March 2020):
    https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-280d8b6?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 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.