China will allow imports of avocados from the Dominican Republic, the country’s General Administration of Customs said in an Aug. 26 notice, according to an unofficial translation. The imports are subject to phytosanitary and quarantine requirements, described in the notice, it said.
China’s Foreign Ministry termed “unjustified” the U.S. decision to add 24 Chinese companies to the Commerce Department’s Entity List (see 2008260038), saying it interferes in Chinese internal affairs. “We urge the U.S. to correct its mistake and immediately stop meddling in China's internal affairs,” a ministry spokesperson said during an Aug 27 news conference. “China will take firm measures to safeguard Chinese businesses and citizens' lawful interests.”
Singapore Customs’ TradeNet will undergo system maintenance Sept. 13, 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time, an Aug. 26 notice said. The agency advised users to avoid submitting applications during this time. This is in addition to the Aug. 30 extended downtime (see 2008120025) and usual 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. maintenance on Sundays.
China is suspending imports of cloven-hoofed animals and their products from Mozambique, due to a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak among cattle in the region, an Aug. 25 notice said, according to an unofficial translation. Chinese customs authorities will destroy the imports if they are found passing through border checkpoints, and traders will be subject to customs penalties, China said. The suspension took effect Aug. 20.
China’s customs authority issued a list of more than 25 imports and exports subject to random inspections, an Aug. 21 notice said, according to an unofficial translation. The inspections will be carried out on a range of clothing, appliances and electronic products, including children’s clothing, scarves, toilets, dishwashers, monitors and microcomputers that are imported, and exports such as children’s bicycles and plush toys. The new inspections took effect Aug. 21.
Japan will use a public-private partnership to create and implement measures to regulate the country’s growing “alternative meat industry,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service reported Aug. 17. The partnership will aim to establish standards for “insect-based and plant-based foods derived through innovative technologies.” They will develop standards for food safety, quality, international export, and proposed guidelines for labeling and product certification. The USDA said Japan planned to begin this summer a process of creating working groups to focus on the standards by product category, such as insects for feed or cultured meat.
Hong Kong suspended certain imports from a Brazilian meat plant after China said meat from the plant tested positive for the coronavirus, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service reported Aug. 14. The suspension, which took effect Aug. 13, applies to imported poultry meat from the plant, which can only sell poultry products to Hong Kong. Even though only one Brazilian plant was affected, USDA said Hong Kong traders might begin importing poultry products from countries other than Brazil due to fears “that products from other Brazilian plants could be found to be contaminated with coronavirus.” The report said: “It seems that the Hong Kong food authority has not overreacted to the incident. Given that the batch in question is not available in Hong Kong, [the Hong Kong Center for Food Safety] has not issued a voluntary recall of products from the plant.”
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute released an Aug. 20 report on China’s increasing use of global talent recruitment programs to steal technology and intellectual property from universities and companies around the world. The report details how the practice helps China leverage “foreign technology and expertise” and how it can be combated, especially as China seeks to “shift the balance of power” within the technology industry away from the U.S.
China will launch a pilot “preferential” certificate of origin system for trade with certain least developed countries, an Aug. 18 notice said, according to an unofficial translation. The system, to launch Sept. 10, will issue online certificates of origin for trade with Bangladesh, Niger, Ethiopia, Mozambique and East Timor, China’s General Administration of Customs said. The system will “further promote the implementation of special preferential tariff treatment measures” for certain least developed countries “that have established diplomatic relations with China, the notice said. It will also help improve customs clearances for qualified goods.
India revised its export policies for certain textile raw materials used in mask and coverall production, the country’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said Aug. 18. The change removes export restrictions on eight Harmonized System codes classified under “non-woven fabrics for 25-70 GSM” and “non-woven fabrics other than 25-70 GSM,” a measure of grams per square inch. The exception for “melt-blown fabric of any GSM” continues, and it is not allowed for export.