Hong Kong’s postal service is temporarily stopping the delivery of postal items from the US in retaliation to President Donald Trump’s slew of tariffs.
“The US is unreasonable, bullying and imposing tariffs abusively,” the service said in a press release on Tuesday.
The service added that it took issue with the US government’s decision to “eliminate the duty-free de minimis treatment for postal items despatched from Hong Kong to the US and increase the tariffs for postal items containing goods to the US starting from May 2.”
“Hongkong Post will definitely not collect any so-called tariffs on behalf of the US and will suspend the acceptance of postal items containing goods destined to the US,” the press release read.
Hongkong Post also said that from Tuesday, it would be suspending the delivery of surface mail — which is sent by land or sea — to the US.
It would also stop accepting airmail destined for the US from April 27.
Postal items only containing documents will not be affected, the release said.
Hongkong Post’s announcement comes as trade tensions between China and the US continue to escalate. The two countries have exchanged retaliatory tariffs since Trump first imposed a 10% tariff on goods from China in February.
The US now imposes a 145% tariff on goods from China, and Beijing has responded with a 125% tariff on US-made products.
Trump has also cracked down on the de minimis loophole, which allowed small packages under $800, like those from Chinese retailers Shein and Temu, to be brought into the country tax-free.
On April 9, Trump issued an executive order imposing a 120% tax on small parcels under $800 from China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
The order added that per-item postal fees for these parcels would increase to $100 between May 2 and June 1 and to $200 after June 1.
Representatives for Hongkong Post did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
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