Stepping 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 conflict 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 of China, 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 than $800.
Hongkong Post said it would immediately stop accepting surface postal items containing goods to the United States, and would stop taking airmail packages starting April 27. It said the action was in response to Mr. Trump’s tariffs on China, which are now 145 percent.
“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. Documents being shipped to the United States would not be affected.