Hong Kong to Challenge US Tariffs at the WTO Amid Escalating Trade Dispute

Hong Kong is preparing to take its dispute with the US to the World Trade Organisation as it challenges recently imposed tariffs by Washington, which the city claims disregard its unique status as a separate customs territory. Hong Kong chief secretary Eric Chan stated that the tariffs are completely at odds with established WTO rules, and the city will formally complain about what it sees as an unreasonable measure that undermines its standing as a financial hub.

The issue dovetails with broader tensions between the US and China that have intensified following the initiation of US tariffs on Chinese goods and subsequent retaliatory tariffs by Beijing on US imports. Chinese countermeasures, which include significant tariffs on commodities such as coal, liquefied natural gas, oil, and agricultural equipment, were introduced as part of a retaliatory response amidst an ongoing trade war.

Beijing has already lodged a complaint with the WTO, arguing that US tariffs represent a serious deviation from international trade norms. At the same time, the dispute reflects deeper conflicts over Hong Kong’s autonomy, following Beijing’s imposition of a far-reaching national security law and subsequent actions that led the US to strip the city of its special trading status, thereby affecting one of its longstanding economic advantages.

The broader trade tensions have also affected logistics and market operations with the US Postal Service initially halting packages from China and Hong Kong—a decision later reversed due to the resulting chaos. These actions, along with changes in duty exemptions for small packages, are seen by some as part of a wider attempt to regulate and curb the flow of goods, particularly those connected to sensitive industries such as pharmaceuticals.