A new ruling from the US has decreed that goods being imported to the country from Hong Kong must be labeled 'made in China'.

Beijing recently passed new security legislation that means Hong Kong is no longer treated by the US as being autonomous from mainland China.

As such, Hong Kong lost its special trade status and US Customs and Border Protection said products made there will attract the same duties that apply to mainland Chinese exporters.

In addition, anything made in Hong Kong and shipped to the US must now be marked with Chinese origin, a rule that will apply to goods "entered or withdrawn from warehouse" after September 25th 2020.

Anything found to be without the required label after the deadline will attract an additional ten per cent duty.

Hong Kong's commerce secretary Edward Yau told CNBC he will be taking the matter up with the Trump administration, pointing out that World Trade Organization rules state the country is entitled to use its own labeling for exports.