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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

22 July 2020
(Last updated on 10 August 2020)

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 554/2020

US : Section 301 Tariffs on Mainland Products Worth US$300 billion - Seventh Batch of Products Excluded from Additional Tariffs under List 4A

The US Trade Representative (USTR) announced on 20 July 2020 the seventh batch of products to be excluded from the additional tariffs imposed on Mainland products under List 4A and the official Federal Register (FR) notice was issued on 23 July 2020. These product exclusions will apply as of 1 September 2019 until 1 September 2020. The USTR will continue to issue decisions on pending requests on a periodic basis.

DETAILS

2. On 1 September 2019, the US imposed 15% additional tariffs on Mainland products under List 4A (worth about US$120 billion). As the US and China had reached a Phase One trade agreement in January 2020, the tariffs for List 4A were reduced to 7.5% on 14 February 2020 and the US also suspended indefinitely its plan to impose additional tariffs on Mainland products under List 4B (worth about US$160 billion). The USTR had initiated an exclusion process under List 4A for stakeholders to submit requests for the exclusion of specific products from the additional tariffs. Subsequently, six batches of excluded products were announced from March to July 2020. For details, please refer to Commercial Information Circular nos. 758/2019, 902/2019, 62/2020, 191/2020, 217/2020, 261/2020, 392/2020, 454/2020 and 536/2020 dated 21 October 2019, 16 December 2019, 16 January 2020, 10 March 2020, 16 March 2020, 27 March 2020, 12 May 2020, 10 June 2020 and 10 July 2020 respectively.

3. On 20 July 2020, the USTR announced the seventh batch of products to be excluded from the additional tariffs. The products include 11 existing 10-digit HTSUS subheadings 0505.10.0055, 5504.10.0000, 8215.99.3500, 9506.70.4000, 9701.10.0000, 9702.00.0000, 9703.00.0000, 9705.00.0085, 9706.00.0020, 9706.00.0040 and 9706.00.0060 covering down of a kind used for stuffing; artificial staple fibers of viscose rayon; certain spoons and ladles with stainless steel handles; ice skates with footwear permanently attached; paintings, drawings and pastels; original engravings, prints, lithographs, sculptures and statuary; collections and collectors' pieces; antiques of an age exceeding one hundred years; as well as 53 specially prepared product descriptions, covering sodium alginate resins; boot hangers of plastics and steel; plastics molded shells; women's knit robes in chief weight of cotton; certain babies' gowns, sleep sacks, swaddle sacks and blanket sleepers; certain cotton terry bathrobes; certain cotton blankets; protective covers of cotton for pillows; oven mitts; handrail covers for spas and pools; outdoor shelters; athletic, recreational and sporting headgear; folding helmets of injected plastic parts; fittings of galvanized steel; certain cylindrical steel drives; lithium-ion batteries; wireless communication apparatus; electric guitar kits; swim masks, snorkeling masks, snorkels and water fins; exercise machines; coins of numismatic interest; etc.

4. These product exclusions will apply as of 1 September 2019 until 1 September 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 notice:

  • FR notice on the seventh batch of products under List 4A excluded from Section 301 tariffs (23 July 2020):
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-07-23/pdf/2020-15995.pdf
  • US Customs and Border Protection's guidance note on filing entries for products excluded from Section 301 Tariffs (List 4A) (31 July 2020):
    https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-2984931?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.