Hong Kong rejects US rule for 'made in China' labels

Hong Kong's commerce secretary on Thursday rejected US plans to order goods imported from the territory to carry a "made in China" marking from September.

Speaking after meeting representatives of local trade chambers, Edward Yau said the rule was a "deliberate attempt to sort of undermine" Hong Kong's custom territory, which was separate from mainland China.

It would force Hong Kong traders "to tell a lie, that products made in Hong Kong would be misdescribed as 'made in China'," he added.

A Hong Kong government statement this week also strongly objected to the US plans, which were published on the US Federal Register by the Customs and Border Protection.