China fined Mintz Group, an American due diligence services firm, $1.5 million for allegedly conducting "unapproved statistical work," The Wall Street Journal reported Aug. 21. This comes after China raided Mintz Group's office in March and detained five officials, the report said (see 2305260054).
A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said China "welcomes" the Bureau of Industry and Security's recent move to drop 33 entities from its Unverified List after the agency carried out end-use checks (see 2308210015). The move, which included Chinese companies, shows that both countries can address "specific concerns through communication based on mutual respect," the spokesperson said. In a separate release, the country's Ministry of Commerce said the BIS decision is "conducive to the normal trade between Chinese and American companies and is in line with the common interests of both parties," according to an unofficial translation. BIS made the move after an agency policy change that lets it move companies from the UVL to the Entity List if BIS is unable to conduct an end-use check on those companies within 60 days.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will visit Beijing and Shanghai Aug. 27-30 to meet with senior Chinese officials and business leaders, the agency announced Aug. 22. Raimondo looks “forward to constructive discussions on issues relating to the U.S.-China commercial relationship, challenges faced by U.S. businesses, and areas for potential cooperation.” China's Ministry of Commerce, according to an unofficial translation, said Raimondo's planned visit is "at the invitation of Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao." Ahead of the trip, the U.S. Commerce Department said, Raimondo met with Chinese ambassador Xie Feng and had a "productive discussion."
India's Ministry of Finance on Aug. 19 imposed a 40% export duty on onions effective immediately, according to an unofficial translation. Onions, traded under tariff item subheading 0703 10, will be hit with the duty, which is set to expire Dec. 31. The Indian government said it was "necessary in the public interest" to levy the tax.
Sri Lanka recently relaxed import restrictions on certain genetically engineered food, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service said in a report last week. The country will require traders to secure import approvals for all GE foods or materials that contain more than 0.9% genetically modified organisms, the report said. Sri Lanka had previously required import approvals for foods containing more than 0.5% genetically modified organisms. The change is expected to help “facilitate exports of U.S.-origin non-GE soybean and non-GE corn (maize) or any other agricultural or food product, as they can now be imported without prior approval,” the report said.
China announced a host of changes for its comprehensive bonded zones this week that it said will optimize customs inspections, improve cargo release procedures, reduce on-site investigations and other measures to cut red-tape. China expects the "reform measures" to slash “import and export customs clearance time” and “operating costs” and improve “logistics efficiency,” according to an unofficial translation of an Aug. 16 announcement by China’s General Administration of Customs. The agency also said it wants to “promote the construction of smart” bonded zones that use technology to expedite customs procedures. The announcement includes a set of questions and answers on the changes.
China is planning “countermeasures” to respond to the Biden administration's recent executive order on outbound investment, a Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson told reporters this week. The spokesperson said China has “serious concerns” about the restrictions -- which will eventually lead to prohibitions and notification requirements for U.S. investment in three advanced technology sectors in China -- and said the U.S. is “harming others and harming itself.”
Sri Lanka recently lifted import bans on another set of goods, including agricultural items, food, construction products, perfumes, leather goods, wood products, garments, home furnishings, washing machines and toys, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported Aug. 15. The move will affect goods that fall under 328 Harmonized System codes. The country has gradually lifted import restrictions on a variety of goods in recent months (see 2210030012, 2212050010, 2212160012, 2301040013 and 2301230004).
India this week reminded companies that after Dec. 31 applications of non-preferential certificates of origin must be submitted through a new digital single window. The country’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade, which earlier this year had delayed the implementation date (see 2303290017), said in an Aug. 16 notice that a “few enlisted Agencies/chambers have still not started the process of on-boarding which defeats the purpose of initiating the online system.” The country is giving those agencies and chambers until Aug. 31 to “on-board” the new electronic platform, but companies can still submit paper certificates of origin through the end of the year.
China’s commerce minister held a “business roundtable” with his United Arab Emirates counterpart and several UAE industry officials this week, where the two sides discussed increasing market access and trade. The meeting, held in Dubai, included executives from Emirates Airlines, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and logistics company DP World. The Chinese minister said “UAE companies are welcome to actively seize opportunities and continue to expand their business relationship with China,” according to an unofficial translation.