Australia this week announced a new set of sanctions against Myanmar, designating several entities with ties to the country’s military regime. The sanctions target Myanma Foreign Trade Bank and Myanma Investment and Commercial Bank, two banks that “enable the regime's activities,” and Asia Sun Group, Asia Sun Trading Co. Ltd., and Cargo Link Petroleum Logistics Co. Ltd., which supply jet fuel to the military. Australia said it will “continue to use every lever at our disposal to press the regime for the cessation of violence, the release of those unjustly detained, unimpeded humanitarian access, and a return to the path of democracy.”

Japan, which suffered economic coercion from China earlier than any other country, is largely on the same page as the U.S. when it comes to supply chain resilience and restrictions on exports, but the two diverge in their attitudes about China's role in the global economy.

Indonesia recently issued new measures meant to incentivize imports of electric vehicles, including one that will delay the country’s 40% minimum local content requirement timeline for EVs from 2023 until 2026, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported Jan. 10. Indonesia also expanded a duty waiver to cover “imported built‑up vehicles.” The waiver had previously applied only to imported “knocked‑down vehicles” that would be assembled and sold in Indonesia, HKTDC said.

China imposed sanctions on five American defense-related entities for their involvement in U.S. military sales to Taiwan, a spokesperson for the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Jan. 7, according to an unofficial translation. The designations target BAE Systems Land and Armaments, Alliant Techsystems Operations, AeroVironment, Viasat and Data Link Solutions. Beijing said the sanctions will freeze any of their property in China and bar Chinese businesses, organizations and people “from conducting transactions, cooperation and other activities with them.”

Malaysia recently revised food labeling requirements in ways that could affect certain imports, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service said in a Jan. 4 report. The changes, which were effective Jan. 1, require certain food products to include “quantitative ingredient declarations” and expand the nutritional labeling requirements for other foods, among other updates.

China last week launched an antidumping investigation on certain brandy imported from the EU after receiving a complaint from the China Liquor Industry Association. China’s Ministry of Commerce said its investigation will cover brandy imported as early as Jan. 1, 2019, through Sept. 30, 2023, and shipped in containers of less than 200 liters, according to an unofficial translation. The ministry said it’s accepting public comments for 20 days from Jan. 5. It’s expecting to complete the investigation before Jan. 5, 2025.

India altered its import policy regarding threaded screws traded under Indian tariff schedule codes 73181110, 73181190, 73181200, 73181300, 73181400, 73181500 and 73181900, the Director General of Foreign Trade announced. The import policy was changed from "Free" to "Prohibited," though the goods will be allowed to enter India if their cost, insurance and freight values are above approximately $1.55 per kg.

China again extended its Section 301 retaliatory tariff exclusion period for 12 U.S. agricultural products, including certain shrimp, whey, fishmeal, alfalfa and hardwood products, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service said in a recent report. The exclusions, which were set to expire Dec. 31, will continue through July 31. Beijing originally imposed the tariffs in retaliation for Section 301 tariffs announced by the Trump administration on certain Chinese goods.

South Korea sanctioned eight people from North Korea in response to its long-range ballistic missile launch Dec. 18, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced, according to an unofficial translation. The people have generated revenue for the North Korean government or have aided the country's weapons programs, South Korea said, including by helping it buy and finance nuclear weapons and missiles, steal technology and trade in sanctioned materials, including weapons. South Korea said some also have been involved in "illegal cyber activities."

India extended its free import policy for urad beans and tur/pigeon peas for another year, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade announced. The import policy will now run until March 31, 2025, and specifically applies to urad of Indian Tariff Code (Harmonized System) 07133110 and tur/pigeon peas of ITC(HS) 07136000.