GENEVA, Switzerland: World Trade Organization (WTO) arbitrators on Wednesday concluded that the United States was out of line in requiring products from Hong Kong to be labeled as 'Made in China,' a move that was part of Washington's response to a crackdown on pro-democracy protests there in 2019 and 2020.

A WTO dispute panel found that the US violated its obligations under the trade body's rules and rejected Washington's argument that US 'essential security interests' allowed for such labeling. The panel said the situation did not pose an 'emergency' that would justify such an exemption under the organization's rules.