Laos recently clarified its law on antidumping and countervailing measures to specify procedures for determining whether dumping is taking place, a June 5 Hong Kong Trade Development Council report said. The revised guidance clarifies “two methods for the determination of the ‘normal’ price of imported goods” if those goods are suspected of violating antidumping measures. Laos issued the guidance to ensure it's complying with World Trade Organization requirements.

China said it will continue to impose antidumping measures on imported acetone from Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, according to an unofficial translation of a June 5 notice. Introduced in 2008, the measures will be imposed for another five years, China said.

Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, plus Japan, China and South Korea, issued a joint statement committing to open trade during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an unofficial translation of a June 4 Japanese government notice. The countries agreed not to take “unnecessary measures that may affect the smooth flow of medical products” and committed to imposing only “targeted, purposeful, transparent and temporary” trade restrictions. The countries also said they are still working toward signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement this year and plan to “resolve India’s outstanding issues” with the agreement (see 2005130018 and 1911040016).

Vietnam plans to reduce a range of tariff rates on agricultural goods, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service report released June 1. The measures, which take effect July 10, will reduce tariffs on dairy products, almonds, apples, grapes, wheat, walnuts, frozen potatoes, raisins, chilled pork and ethanol, the report said. The measures also include a “temporary reduction” in tariffs for frozen pork through Dec. 31. The reduced rates will apply to imports for all trading partners with which Vietnam “has no preferential arrangements in place.”

Thailand plans to ban residues of paraquat herbicides and chlorpyrifos pesticides in food products, which will “disrupt” imports of agricultural goods from a variety of trading partners, including the U.S., according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service report released June 1. Thailand's agencies are likely to adopt a “zero-tolerance” policy for residues of the two substances in food products, which could result in about $1 billion in U.S. agricultural export losses per fiscal year, the USDA said. Thailand notified the World Trade Organization of the change, and countries have until July 18 to comment, the report said.

China’s Commerce Ministry criticized the U.S.’ recent addition of Chinese companies to the Entity List (see 2006030032) and said it will take “all necessary measures” to defend the rights of its companies, according to an unofficial translation of a June 5 notice. China said the U.S. has “abused” its export control measures, “causing serious damage to the international economic and trade order and a serious threat to the security of the global industrial supply chain.”

China issued customs measures and a “trial entry and exit management system for goods” at the “Yangpu Bonded Port Area,” part of the Hainan free trade port (see 2006030007), according to an unofficial translation of a June 3 notice. Along with the trial management system, the measures contain a list of restricted goods and products that require inspections and quarantine.

China released a list of approved pre-shipment inspection agencies for imported solid waste used as raw materials, according to an unofficial translation of a June 3 notice. China is ramping up efforts to decrease solid waste imports (see 2006030010).

China recently passed a law to further reduce imports of solid waste, according to a June 3 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The law, which takes effect Sept. 1, includes provisions to help China reach its goal of zero imported solid waste, including permit requirements for certain activities and the introduction of a “domestic waste sorting system.” China previously expanded efforts to combat solid waste smuggling (see 1904120045 and 1903250021).

Sri Lanka lifted import restrictions on certain raw materials but will still ban a wide range of imports, including certain automobiles, furniture, agricultural goods and other items, according to a June 3 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The country lifted import restrictions on materials used “in the production of export goods or import substitution items,” the report said, such as cement, steel, plastics and rubber, the HKTDC said. However, restrictions are still in place for certain fruits, dairy products, seafood and certain auto products, the report said. The ban, introduced in April, arose from a “decline in export earnings” and tourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic.