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Letters | What use is ‘Made in Hong Kong’ label when the old Hong Kong is gone
- While Hong Kong has strongly objected to the Trump administration insisting that manufacturers use a ‘Made in China’ label for exports to the US, a separate label is misleading if Hong Kong is not as autonomous as before
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A good reputation is an invaluable intangible asset. It takes years to acquire but seconds to destroy. A well-known brand is precious, for it is the guarantee of high quality. The Hong Kong brand has been tarnished after protests against the extradition bill since last year and the imposition of the national security law three months back.
The US, in response to Beijing’s draconian national security law, has imposed several sanctions on Hong Kong, one of which is that products made in Hong Kong and exported to America need to be labelled “Made in China”.
This did not please the Hong Kong government and became a source of controversy. Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau Tang-wah said in a press conference that the measure was unreasonable and contrary to World Trade Organization regulations, infringing on Hong Kong’s rights as a separate customs territory.
However, his views on the US move are untenable – on account of the current political environment in Hong Kong. With the new law limiting Hongkongers’ freedom of expression, of assembly and of the press, many Hongkongers and people around the world believe the pre-eminence of “Asia’s world city” as an international financial centre and a free port is on the wane.
Without the high degree of autonomy promised by Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping before the handover, the status of the former British colony becomes almost synonymous with other cities on the mainland. This would diminish Hong Kong’s role as a gateway between China and the world. The termination of Hong Kong’s special trading status with the US has accelerated this.
02:09
Trump signs Hong Kong Autonomy Act, ends city’s preferential trade status over national security law
Trump signs Hong Kong Autonomy Act, ends city’s preferential trade status over national security law
The authorities should face the reality that under the national security law, Hong Kong has lost its uniqueness in the eyes of the world. Indeed, the outgoing British colonial government was worried that Hong Kong’s new authorities would show their allegiance to Beijing in defiance of the Basic Law.
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