Hongkong Post is suspending the shipment of goods to the United States in response to the US decision to eliminate the duty-free treatment for items sent from Hong Kong to the US.
The postal service specified today that the United States is going to increase the tariffs for postal items intended to be sent to the US starting from May 2. In a statement, Hongkong Post said that surface mail (land or sea) of US-bound items will be suspended starting April 16, while airmail will be suspended starting April 27.
It said that the Postal service will not collect tariffs on behalf of the US and will suspend the acceptance of postal items containing goods destined for the US. Meanwhile, the postal service clarified that other postal items containing documents only, without goods, will not be affected.
Hongkong Post’s statement said it would also suspend air mail containing goods destined for the U.S. from April 27.
On May 2, the U.S. is also set to halt its “de minimis” provision for packages from China and Hong Kong under which those valued at under $800 and sent direct to consumer enter the country tariff-free. From the beginning of May, those packages will be subject to a 90% tariff, or flat fee of $75.