Hong Kong leader says city will sign more free trade pacts amid ruthless US tariffs

HONG KONG – Hong Kong leader John Lee said on April 8 that the city would sign more free trade pacts to diversify its risk amid a global trade war triggered by what he called “ruthless” US tariffs that he said were disrupting the world economic and trade order.

“The US no longer adheres to free trade, arbitrarily undermining the internationally established rules of world trade, and its ruthless behaviour damages global and multilateral trade,” Mr Lee, who was sanctioned by the US in 2020 for his role in the rights crackdown in Hong Kong, told reporters.

Hong Kong, as an international trade hub, will be affected by US tariffs in the short term, but Mr Lee said it would remain a free port, with the city not planning to impose any retaliatory tariffs on the US right now.

The latest additional US tariffs of 34 per cent that were imposed on China also apply to Hong Kong, which is no longer considered a separate trading entity by Washington amid a years-long crackdown under a sweeping national security law.

This, coupled with an earlier 20 per cent tariff, means combined US tariffs on Hong Kong goods are now 54 per cent, Mr Lee said.

In terms of mitigation, he said Hong Kong would seek to bolster trade and business linkages elsewhere, including more free trade agreements in areas such as South-east Asia and the Middle East.

He added that new Hong Kong trade offices would also be set up in Egypt, Turkey and Cambodia.

Mr Lee said Hong Kong is in negotiations for investment agreements with Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh and Peru.

“We will seize the world’s major trend of geographical diversification, proactively attracting foreign companies and capital to establish in Hong Kong because Hong Kong can provide security and stability