Hong Kong postal service halts US parcels on tariff ‘bullying’

[NEW YORK] Hong Kong will stop official postal services for goods to the US, as the city follows Beijing in hitting back at Donald Trump in a trade war that increasingly sweeps up the Asian financial hub.

Hongkong Post will suspend the acceptance of surface postal items containing goods destined to the US from Wednesday (Apr 16), and air postal items from Apr 27, the Hong Kong government said. Postal items containing only documents will not be affected.

“The US is unreasonable, bullying and imposing tariffs abusively,” the statement read. “Hongkong Post will definitely not collect any so-called tariffs on behalf of the US.”

The move comes as Trump’s tariff offensive on China increasingly affects the former British colony, which typically enjoys favourable treatment in trade matters due to its semiautonomous status. Hong Kong leader John Lee has sharply criticised the US measures, accusing Washington of “wanton suppression” of the city and the country in a speech on Tuesday.

The US government announced earlier that it would eliminate the duty-free de minimis treatment for postal items dispatched from China, including Hong Kong, starting May 2. The action will close a loophole for items worth less than US$800 and deals a potential blow to discount marketplaces such as Temu and Shein.

Hong Kong is caught in the crossfire of Trump’s tariff policies. Though the city operates as a free port and does not impose import duties, locally made goods are not spared US import duties this time unlike during Trump’s first term.

China’s top official on Hong Kong affairs also lashed out at Trump on Tuesday, saying his tariff war is less about money and more about attacking the well-being of Chinese people.

“The US isn’t after our tariffs – it is after our very survival,” said Xia Baolong, who heads the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office. “Anyone who tries to bring us back to poverty and weakness is our enemy.”

Trump has pushed ahead with levies on Chinese goods even as he signalled readiness to talks that could reduce or eliminate drastic tariffs that apply to most items entering the US. Beijing has said it will not come to the negotiating table if Washington does not show respect. BLOOMBERG