Parallel trading

The influx of parallel traders who buy their stock tax-free in Hong Kong to resell it in mainland China at a profit is causing growing unrest. Residents of Sheung Shui, a town close to China's border, say the increase in parallel importers has pushed up retail prices and causes a general nuisance. Importers argue that their trade benefits the Hong Kong economy.

COMMERCE

Milk traders able to skirt checks at border town

3 Mar 2013

Traders of contraband milk formula are shifting their operations to a historic street in the border town of Sha Tau Kok, which lets them skirt tighter checks on parallel exports that began on...

A slap at our core Hong Kong values

2 Mar 2013

Freedom of the press is one of the values that sets Hong Kong apart. We are reminded of that from time to time by the experiences of local journalists on assignment elsewhere, including the...

3 comments

10 held for exceeding two-tin milk limit

2 Mar 2013

A least 10 people have been arrested at the border checkpoints for breaching a new restriction on milk formula that came into force yesterday. They were carrying a total of 53 tins of infant...

City's NPC delegates to highlight parallel trading woes

2 Mar 2013

A tighter grip by mainland authorities on parallel traders tops the wish list of Hong Kong deputies to the national legislature and leading political advisory body. Tightening controls on traders...

SCMP photographer slapped and abused near border

1 Mar 2013

Police arrested two men yesterday after a South China Morning Post photographer taking pictures of mainland parallel-goods traders stocking up on milk powder was slapped in the face in a scuffle...

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Opinion

Jake Van Der Kamp

An age-old problem and the sums that just don't add up

Howard Winn

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Shirley Yam

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SCMP editor condemns attack on staff photographer

South China Morning Post Editor-in-Chief Wang Xiangwei condemned an attack on staff photographer May Tse by suspected paraller traders while on assignment in Sheung Shui on Thursday.

6 comments

Parallel-goods trading activity remains low in Sheung Shui

Predictions that the parallel-goods trading activities in Sheung Shui would pick up again once the Lunar New Year period ended proved false yesterday. In the vicinity of the Sheung Shui MTR...

Hongkongers can take a leaf out of London shop owner's book

Would shop owners in Hong Kong be caring enough and willing to sacrifice their profits to ensure that local needs are met? No one can say for sure.

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POLITICS

Give mainland parallel-goods traders border ban, NPC to urge CPPCC

Brave Chan Yung, a new National People's Congress delegate from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said the proposal was one of 20 suggestions to be made at next...

LAW

Milk powder limits to start on March 1

The new measures to restrict the amount of milk powder a traveller can bring across the border will take effect next month, the health minister says. From March 1, people leaving the city will be...

2 comments

CUSTOMS

Exco to debate two-tin milk law

A special Executive Council meeting will be held today to discuss amending import and export laws to tackle the problem of parallel-goods trading, a source said last night. The changes -proposed...