Singapore Customs issued a notice Aug. 21 saying that certain “bullion coins” are exempt from the country’s Goods and Services Tax because they meet requirements as an Investment Grade Precious Metal. The coins -- in silver, gold or platinum, from Australia and the United Kingdom -- will be GST-exempt starting Sept. 1.

Vietnam issued a circular to update the rules of origin regulations under the recent agreement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China, Vietnam Customs' mouthpiece CustomsNews said in an Aug. 20 report. Vietnam clarified how rules of origin apply to goods, “origin criteria for converting commodity codes at level of 4 digits” and regulations on the de minimis level. The circular will take effect Sept. 12.

China is adopting new measures to revise the rules of origin guidelines in its agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, China’s General Administration of Customs said in an Aug. 20 notice, according to an unofficial translation. The changes, which took effect Aug. 20, will help China “correctly determine the origin of import and export goods” under the agreement and “promote economic and trade exchanges between” China and ASEAN member countries. China said its customs agencies began accepting certificates of origin issued by ASEAN member countries on Aug. 1.

China is imposing “special safeguard measures” on eight Australian beef-related agricultural products, China’s General Administration of Customs said in an Aug. 17 notice, according to an unofficial translation. China said Australian beef imports on Aug. 15, under six tax codes, exceeded the quantity that can be imported in 2019. The country resumed taxing the imports under Most Favored Nation tariffs on Aug. 17.

China is increasing import restrictions on fruit and vegetable products from Vietnam, Vietnam Customs' mouthpiece CustomsNews said in an Aug. 19 report. Vietnam said China’s recently released plans will “apply stricter requirements and standards” on Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable imports in addition to China’s requirements that all fruits are “given codes indicating both growing areas and their packaging facilities.” If Vietnam does not agree to the higher standards, China will reject “all certificates and codes granted by Vietnam,” the report said. Vietnam’s Plant Protection Department is urging all packaging facilities to “strictly follow the standards set forth by China,” the report said.

China issued clarification on import duty exemptions for certain equipment and machinery, according to an Aug. 19 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The report said imported equipment and machinery that falls within the Catalogue of Encouraged Industries for Foreign Investment’s “encouraged industries” are exempt from customs duties, but not import-related value-added taxes. VATs also still apply to all “equipment imported for direct self-use and any associated items imported with regard to said equipment within the total investment amount of an foreign-invested project,” the HKTDC said.

Non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs) performing services in China no longer require a cash deposit at a Chinese bank or a supplemental bond on file with the Federal Maritime Commission to register with Chinese authorities, provided that they are licensed or registered with the FMC, according to an update emailed Aug. 19 by the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America. But they don’t have to cancel existing bonds either, the NCBFAA clarified.

Vietnam Customs issued guidance on new requirements for its "list of imported goods subject to customs clearance at the import border gate," Vietnam Customs' mouthpiece CustomsNews said Aug. 16. The guidance details where border clearance must occur for goods on the list, as well as treatment of goods in bonded warehouses. The changes take effect Sept. 1.

China announced plans to improve procedures at Ningbo Customs, including “optimizing the customs clearance process” and “improving the business environment at the port,” China’s General Administration of Customs said in an Aug. 16 notice, according to an unofficial translation. The changes include China’s new two-step declaration process, aimed at allowing importers to more quickly submit declarations (see 1908150031). Ningbo Customs will also introduce an “‘advance declaration’ customs clearance mode” for imports and exports to improve clearance time, the notice said.

China approved two locations as “quarantine assessment and acceptance centres” for imports of “chilled aquatic products,” according to an Aug. 15 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The locations are Sunan Shuofang International Airport (Jiangsu) and Yiwu (Zhejiang), the report said. HKTDC said both will operate under China’s General Administration of Customs.