China announced a ban on sheep imports from Portugal after 70 sheep in that country were infected with a disease, scabies, a July 16 notice said, according to an unofficial translation. China said it will destroy all illegally imported sheep products from Portugal. China recently announced bans on certain animal imports from Rwanda (see 2007140009), India (see 2005280018), Australia (see 2005130013) and elsewhere.
The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. said it will stop chip shipments to Huawei due to the Bureau of Industry and Security's increased license restrictions, Nikkei Asian Review reported July 16. TSMC Chairman Mark Liu said the company has not taken any new orders from Huawei since BIS issued a rule May 15 increasing restrictions (see 2005150058), the report said. “Although the regulation just finished its public comment period, the BIS did not make a final ruling change. Under this circumstance, we do not plan to ship wafers [to Huawei] after Sept. 14,” Liu told investors at a conference, according to the report. TSMC did not comment. Liu did not say whether TSMC plans to apply for export licenses. The company recently announced plans to build a chip factory in Arizona (see 2005150033). U.S. lawmakers are concerned that could disadvantage U.S. chip companies if TSMC is awarded unfair subsidies (see 2005200030 and 2005270030).
Singapore Customs’ TradeNet will undergo system maintenance Aug. 2, 4 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Aug. 16, 4 a.m. to noon local time, a July 17 notice said. The agency advises users to avoid submitting applications during this time. This is in addition to usual maintenance on Sundays, 4 a.m. to 8 a.m.
The Philippines recently began authorizing exports of strategic goods, including military items and dual-use goods, under its new export control regime, a July 17 PricewaterhouseCoopers alert said. The authorization scheme, which took effect July 1, will initially focus on a limited set of “export activities” and will eventually expand to cover other activities, such as “transit/transshipment, re-export, reassignment, related services, and importation,” the alert said. Exporters of strategic goods must register with the Philippines’ Strategic Trade Management Office before submitting an export application, the alert added, and can apply for only three types of authorizations, depending on the shipment’s number of destinations or end-users.
China will impose antidumping measures on imports of U.S. n-propanol, a July 17 Ministry of Commerce notice said, according to an unofficial translation. China said its n-propanol industry has suffered “substantial damage” due to the U.S. imports and will impose antidumping measures in the “form of security deposits.” Beginning July 18, Chinese “import operators” must “provide the relevant deposits” to Chinese customs authorities at rates between 254.4% and 267.4%, the notice said.
India announced restrictions on imports of certain machinery used in agricultural production, the country’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a July 15 notice. It restricts certain imports of power tillers, which India defines as “agricultural machinery used for soil preparation.” The notice also restricts imports of certain machinery parts for tillers, including engines, transmissions, chassis and rotavators. The import policy for power tillers and components had been “free.”
China said it still plans to fulfill its commitments under the phase one trade deal with the U.S. despite rising tensions over Hong Kong and a host of new U.S. sanctions and export restrictions (see 2007150019, 2007140068, 2007010040 and 2006290063). The trade agreement will “benefit both countries and the world,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said July 16, according to an unofficial translation of a press conference transcript. “We will implement the signed agreements.”
Sri Lanka clarified and revised its import restrictions for a range of commodities as the country tries to stop the spread of COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a July 13 report. The revisions, announced June 30, apply restrictions to imported goods loaded at a port on or before June 30, the report said, including certain industrial supplies, agricultural goods and electronic equipment. The import restrictions are intended to allow for the “uninterrupted raw material supply” for domestic manufacturing and export processing while also protecting “certain local industries and production,” USDA said.
China suspended imports of sheep, goats and their products from Israel due to an outbreak of sheep pox and goat pox in Israel’s Northern District, a July 13 notice said, according to an unofficial translation. Chinese customs will return or destroy sheep or goat imports from Israel, the notice said.
China announced a ban on certain animals and animal products from Rwanda due to a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Rwanda’s Eastern Province, a July 13 notice said, according to an unofficial translation. The import ban applies to “cloven hoofed animals and their related products,” directly or indirectly from Rwanda, including products originating from those animals that have not been processed or are “still likely to spread disease although processed.” Customs authorities will return or destroy any imports, China said.