HONG KONG, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said Friday that it regrets the action of the United States to revoke Hong Kong's special trade status, which will hurt U.S. businesses in Hong Kong.

The special trade treatment had supported Hong Kong's crucial role in the global economy and protected U.S. commercial interests in the region, the chamber said in a statement, adding that at present there are more than 1,300 U.S. firms and 85,000 U.S. citizens in Hong Kong.

U.S. businesses in Hong Kong have stressed the significance of enhancing regional stability through exchanges between the United States and Hong Kong, the chamber said.

Hong Kong has been a strong market for U.S. goods and in 2019 alone, the United States has enjoyed a merchandise trade surplus of over 26 billion U.S. dollars with Hong Kong, the highest among its trading partners, the chamber said, noting that the figure included a substantial volume of agricultural and manufacturing exports crucial to many communities across the United States.

The chamber said it hopes to see a return to a strong, open and constructive dialogue between the governments of the United States and China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the mutual benefit of the people, communities and economies.