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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

7 August 2020
(Last updated on 8 December 2021)

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 614/2020

US : Section 301 Tariffs on Mainland Products Worth US$200 billion - Extension of Certain Product Exclusions until 31 December 2020

The US Trade Representative (USTR) issued on 6 August 2020 a notice to announce extension of certain exclusions from 25% 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 11 August 2020. The extension will apply as of 7 August 2020 until 31 December 2020.

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 14 batches of excluded products from August 2019 to May 2020. These 14 batches of product exclusions expire on 7 August 2020. For details, please refer to CIC nos. 594/2019, 703/2019, 771/2019, 811/2019, 858/2019, 900/2019, 12/2020, 89/2020, 138/2020, 218/2020, 249/2020, 346/2020, 381/2020, 417/2020, 382/2020 and 445/2020 dated 5 August 2019, 19 September 2019, 24 October 2019, 8 November 2019, 27 November 2019, 13 December 2019, 3 January 2020, 5 February 2020, 21 February 2020, 16 March 2020, 24 March 2020, 24 April 2020, 6 May 2020, 25 May 2020, 7 May 2020 and 4 June 2020 respectively.

3. After a public comment process, the USTR issued a notice on 6 August 2020 to announce extension of certain product exclusions from 25% tariffs, which will apply as of 7 August 2020 until 31 December 2020. The products include 21 existing 10-digit HTSUS subheadings covering 0304.72.5000, 0304.83.1015, 0304.83.1020, 0304.83.5015, 0304.83.5020, 0304.83.5090, 3923.21.0095, 3926.20.9050, 4015.19.1010, 4819.50.4060, 5603.12.0090, 5603.14.9090, 5603.92.0090, 5603.93.0090, 6505.00.8015, 8424.90.9080, 8425.31.0100, 8708.50.8500, 8712.00.1510, 8712.00.1520, 8712.00.1550 covering frozen fillets of haddock and flat fish (including sole and flounder); certain sacks and bags (including cones) of polymers of ethylene; articles of apparel and clothing accessories (other than gloves, mittens and mitts); disposable seamless gloves of vulcanized rubber other than hard rubber; certain packing containers; certain nonwovens, whether or not impregnated, coated, or covered or laminated; nonwoven disposable headgear without peaks or visors; certain parts of mechanical appliances for projecting, dispersing or spraying liquids or powders; winches and capstans (powered by electric motor); half-shafts for motor vehicles; and certain bicycles (not motorized).

4. In addition, the extensions also cover 245 specially prepared product descriptions, covering Alaskan sole; certain fruits; certain crab meat; certain chemical substances; laundry detergent powder; certain artificial and natural graphite; certain supported catalysts; plastics container; certain seamless disposable gloves; certain bags and backpacks; certain silk fabrics; yarn of cashmere or camel hair; certain woven fabric; certain polyester filament tow; certain nonwoven fabrics; screen protectors; sheets of tempered safety glass; certain rear-view mirrors; certain steel products; wind turbine hubs; certain pumps; certain DC blowers; portable air compressors; certain printed circuit assemblies; certain hand-operated valves; certain electric gear motors and single-phase AC electric motors; certain power supplies; certain static converters and inductors; certain electric heaters; closed-loop, digital, video security systems; certain digital color video cameras; certain printed circuit boards; certain carbon steel; certain bicycles; compound optical microscopes; certain parts and accessories of meteorological instruments and appliances; certain upholstered seats and chairs; steel lockers; storage racks of steel; baby crib liners; bed rails; lamp shades of fabric over metal frame; etc.

5. 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.

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

  • FR notice on extension of certain product exclusions from 25% tariffs (11 August 2020) and subsequent amendments (16 September 2020 , 7 October 2020, 15 January 2021 and 7 December 2021):
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-08-11/pdf/2020-17509.pdf
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-09-16/pdf/2020-20384.pdf
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-10-07/pdf/2020-22199.pdf
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-01-15/pdf/2021-00865.pdf
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-12-07/pdf/2021-26482.pdf
  • US Customs and Border Protection's guidance note on filing entries for products excluded from Section 301 Tariffs (List 3 Product Exclusion Extensions) (17 August 2020):
    https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-29a9e92?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2

ENQUIRIES

7.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.