China criticized the Trump administration’s Xinjiang business advisory (see 2007010040) issued earlier this month, saying the guidance “seriously distorts the facts” and threatens to damage cooperation between U.S. and Chinese industries. The guidance -- which outlined export control, sanctions and forced labor risks for U.S. companies doing business in China’s Xinjiang region -- “undermines the stability of the global supply chain,” a Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson said July 14, according to an unofficial translation of a press release about a reporter's question on the topic. “This is bad for China, bad for the United States, and bad for the whole world,” the spokesperson said. “China will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.”

China will suspend imports from three Ecuadorian plants after it said packaging samples of the plants’ frozen shrimp shipments tested positive for coronavirus, an unofficial translation of a July 10 notice said. While the “shrimp body” and the “inner packaging samples” tested negative, China said the outer packaging from Pesquera Santa Priscila SA, Empacreci SA and Empacadora Del Pacifico Sociedad Anonima Edpacif SA tested positive. Chinese importers of the frozen shrimp must recall any shipments produced after March 12 and return or destroy the shrimp. A “leading Ecuadorian shrimp exporter” disputed China’s claims about the packages testing positive, Bloomberg reported July 12.

India amended its import policy for certain “cut flowers” to restrict the location of incoming shipments, the country’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a July 9 notice. India will accept imports of certain cut flowers including roses, carnations, orchids, chrysanthemums and lilies at its Chennai port only, the notice said.

Chinese importers of certain bulk sugar shipments will be subject to increased reporting requirements, China’s Ministry of Commerce said July 6, according to an unofficial translation of a notice. The measure, which took effect July 1, requires importers to file certain information about the shipments with Chinese authorities, which are studying the state of China’s sugar trade, the ministry notice said. China said the measure will help it better monitor and improve the competitiveness of its sugar industry and avoid “blind imports.”

Japan recently published a list of 21 proposed geographical indications for agricultural goods from the European Union, including cheese, ham, olive oil, sausage, butter, baked goods and jam, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a July 7 report. If the proposals are finalized, Japan will not “monitor compliance with product specifications for [the] GI designations in their country of origin.” The list was published July 7. Public comments are due Oct. 7.

Japan will accept U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration sanitary certificates for U.S. fresh oyster exports, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said July 7. The certificate can be used for oyster exports from Oregon, Washington state, Connecticut and New York, USDA said, and U.S. exporters must be on the Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List to meet Japan's sanitation standards. USDA also detailed further Japanese requirements for oyster imports intended for raw consumption.

Indonesia introduced a new regulation to improve the “effectiveness” of customs supervision of imports, the country’s trade ministry said in a July 7 notice, according to an unofficial translation. The measure, which takes effect Aug. 25, revokes previous self-declaration requirements and introduces new data reporting requirements, the notice said, including information on the type of good being imported and its quantity or volume. The measure will help customs officials “tighten supervision of imported goods,” an Indonesian customs official said, according to the notice. Importers who violate the requirements will be subject to sanctions, the notice said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service issued a report July 2 on eased Chinese requirements for imports of U.S. pet food, which will see improved market access and more speedy import licensing and facility registrations due to the phase one trade deal. The new measures -- which will apply to commercially processed, finished pet food -- also include a reassessment of Chinese retaliatory tariffs and a new tariff exclusion process for pet food imports.

Japan is likely to see increased demand for imports of biomass-based plastic bags as retail shoppers now have to pay to use plastic shopping bags, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a June 30 report. The fee on plastic bags took effect July 1 and will not apply to biodegradable plastic bags or plastic bags containing at least 25% renewable plant-based materials, the report said. Japanese demand for those bags is expected to rise as a “number of large fast food restaurants and grocery stores” begin to use them.

Hong Kong is advising importers of U.S.-origin goods to check with their sellers about possible trade interruptions after the Bureau of Industry and Security increased restrictions on exports to the region. Hong Kong’s Trade and Industry Department will work with “the licensees concerned to cancel the relevant unused licences,” the agency said July 2. “Otherwise, traders might risk themselves violating the relevant U.S. laws and regulations.”