China’s trade sector continues to struggle amid the COVID-19 pandemic despite certain logistics sectors returning to normal (see 2003170043), China’s Ministry of Commerce said May 7. “Although the decline in foreign trade data narrowed in April, the development of foreign trade still faces greater downward pressure,” a ministry spokesperson said during a press conference, according to an unofficial translation of a transcript. The spokesperson called China’s trade atmosphere “very grim and complicated.”

Singapore Customs amended the list of chemicals in its Chemical Weapons Act, according to a May 6 notice, Companies seeking to “carry out controlled activities” involving the newly restricted chemicals must obtain a Chemical Weapons Convention license, Singapore said. The notice includes a list of added chemicals and their Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) registry numbers.

India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade announced export restrictions on alcohol-based hand sanitizers, according to a May 6 notice. The measure restricts “only” alcohol-based sanitizers that fall under four Harmonized System codes referenced in the notice, adding that all other items under those HS codes are “freely exportable.” India previously restricted exports of certain types of sanitizer (see 2003240045).

India will temporarily accept scanned copies of pre-shipment inspection certificates for customs clearances instead of physical copies, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a May 6 notice from the country’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade. The measure, which will last through June 30, was introduced because “importers have been finding it difficult to submit the original copy” due to the “lock down,” the directorate said. Although importers can submit a scanned version of the document, they must submit a physical copy within 60 days of the goods clearing customs and submit a declaration certifying that the document contains correct information.

Importers in Myanmar will be able to temporarily receive online customs clearance for their goods on a “national basis,” according to a May 5 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Previously, importers could only secure customs clearance at “specified customs entry points” in the country’s capital of Yangon. The expanded use of the Myanmar Automated Cargo Clearance System will allow importers to claim import duty benefits under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Trade in Goods Agreement through May 31, the report said. The temporary basis is in support of businesses during the COVID-19 outbreak.

China will eliminate “purchase tax” on “new energy vehicles” from Jan. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2022, China’s Ministry of Finance said in an April 22 notice, according to an unofficial translation. The measure will exempt taxes for imports of electric cars, plug-in hybrid cars and “fuel cell vehicles” when imported by Chinese car manufacturers and dealers, the notice said.

Sri Lanka recently announced a “special commodity levy” on imported fruits, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service report released April 30. The levy, which began April 17, will remain in place for two months. It is intended to help the country rebound from a lockdown associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. About a quarter of Sri Lanka’s annual $71 million worth of fruit imports originates in China, with 8% coming from the U.S. The country sources about 20% of its apples from the U.S., the USDA said.

Japan’s recent agricultural aid package includes incentive payments for dairy manufacturers to replace imported ingredients with domestic milk powder, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service report released April 30. The aid, which aims to help industry mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, will issue payments for dairy companies that replace imports of “prepared dairy products” with the domestically produced powder. The payments, distributed by Japan’s Agriculture and Livestock Industries Corporation, will include the “price difference between milk powder for food use and these products, up to a specified limit,” the USDA said. Japan imported $2.2 million worth of those prepared dairy products annually from the U.S. between 2015 and 2019, the USDA said.

China recently requested industry and government feedback as it prepares to revise its measures on organic product certification, which could impact the types of organic goods China can import, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service report released April 30. The request for pre-draft revisions comments is “unique,” the USDA said, adding that China is asking for comments through a “written questionnaire” because it cannot conduct field visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The comment deadline is May 11. China did not notify the World Trade Organization about previous revisions to its organic product certification rules last year, the USDA said.

China’s Commerce Ministry criticized the U.S. Commerce Department’s decision to increase restrictions on exports to Chinese military users, saying it will “damage the interests of related U.S. companies more.” The measures, introduced last week (see 2004280052), were examples of the U.S. “abusing export control measures and impeding normal trade and cooperation among trading partners,” a ministry spokesperson said during an April 30 press conference, according to an unofficial translation of a transcript of the event. China said governments have a “responsibility” to reduce trade barriers during the COVID-19 pandemic “rather than create obstacles,” adding that “it is hoped that the U.S. side will stop wrong practices.”