Wading into the trade war, Hong Kong said on Wednesday that its postal service will no longer send packages to the United States.
It is the city’s first move in a spiraling tit-for-tat trade war between China and the United States that is reordering global shipping routes.
President Trump this month ordered the closure of a loophole that allowed retailers to send clothes and goods from China and Hong Kong, a special administrative region, to the United States without having to pay tariffs. After that change takes effect on May 2, United States Customs and Border agents will begin to collect previously exempted tariffs on shipments worth less $800.
Hongkong Post said it would immediately stop accepting surface postal items containing goods to the United States. It said it was taking the action in response to President Trump’s tariffs.
“The U.S. is unreasonable, bullying and imposing tariffs abusively,” the postal service said in a statement posted to the Hong Kong government’s website.
The postal service said it would contact senders who posted packages with goods that have not yet been shipped, to return the packages and refund their postage.
“The public in Hong Kong should be prepared to pay exorbitant and unreasonable fees due to the U.S.’s unreasonable and bullying acts,” it said.
Alexandra Stevenson is the Shanghai bureau chief for The Times, reporting on China’s economy and society.
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