US not a responsible member of World Trade Organization: Hong Kong commerce secretary
Hong Kong’s commerce secretary has hit out at the United States for not being a responsible member of the World Trade Organization, as a row over the “made in China” product labeling rumbles on.
Speaking during a Q&A session at the Legislative Council, Edward Yau, the secretary for commerce, said that Hong Kong participates in the WTO as a separate customs territory and the status it holds cannot be unilaterally revoked by another country.
He said the U.S. move directing imports from Hong Kong to be labeled as “made in China” was discriminatory toward Hong Kong products.
“It is also blatantly inconsistent with multiple WTO agreements,” Yau said. “In accordance with the rules and spirit of the WTO, the HKSAR government has been raising objections with justifications and fully safeguarding Hong Kong’s interests.”
Last week, the Hong Kong government sent its first written submission to the WTO dispute settlement body set up in February to deal with the objections raised, Yau confirmed.
Yau said that the previous U.S. government, under former President Donald Trump, had adopted many trade practices intended to put U.S. interests first while disregarding the rules of international trade.
He added that the Hong Kong government had reiterated its stance on many occasions internationally and added that Hong Kong was the most open and freest place for trading in the world.
Yau denounced the U.S.’s attempt to block the WTO dispute from proceeding, stressing that all WTO members were equal in status.
The requirement for Hong Kong goods bound for the United States to be labeled “made in China” instead of “made in Hong Kong” was first announced by U.S. authorities last August.
The case was first escalated to the WTO by Hong Kong in January but was blocked by the U.S. in a one-off measure. Hong Kong successfully raised the matter again the following month, leading to the establishment of a WTO body to resolve the dispute.
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