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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

7 August 2020
(updated on 25 August 2020)

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 613/2020

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

The US Trade Representative (USTR) announced on 5 August 2020 the eighth 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 11 August 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, seven 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, 536/2020 and 554/2020 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, 10 July 2020 and 22 July respectively.

3. On 5 August 2020, the USTR announced the eighth batch of products to be excluded from the additional tariffs. The products include one existing 10-digit HTSUS subheading 8443.32.1050 covering thermal transfer printer; as well as nine specially prepared product descriptions, covering doorway dust barrier kits; plastics heads, plates, grip disks, slide clamps, foot plugs and other parts for temporary dust barrier systems; plastics locking zip tie fasteners; certain decorative glassware; digital optical image scanners; slingshot apparatus for outdoor games; swing sets and parts and accessories thereof; and trap shooting launchers and parts and accessories thereof.

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 notices:

  • FR notice on the eighth batch of products under List 4A excluded from Section 301 tariffs (11 August 2020):
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-08-11/pdf/2020-17440.pdf
  • US Customs and Border Protection's guidance note on filing entries for products excluded from Section 301 Tariffs (List 4A) (13 August 2020):
    https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-29a24bd?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.