Thailand recently announced new incentives for its domestic auto manufacturing industry, including reduced import duties for certain auto parts, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported March 21. The incentive package is aimed at “stimulating” the country’s use of electric vehicles and will include a 40% drop in customs duties for certain battery electric vehicles, HKTDC said. Thailand also will offer certain import duty exemptions for “major components.”
Australia will ban exports of alumina and aluminum ores, including bauxite, to Russia in a bid to limit the country’s ability to produce aluminum, Australia’s government said March 20. Russia relies on Australia for about 20% of its alumina, and the export ban will cut Russia’s ability to source a “critical input” into its “armaments industries,” Australia said. “The Government will work closely with exporters and peak bodies that will be affected by the ban to find new and expand existing markets,” Australia said.
Myanmar recently published new labeling requirements for imported prepackaged food, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service said in a March 17 report. The change requires food labels to include certain minimum information, including a list of ingredients, the country of origin, date marking and instructions for use. The requirements will take effect Jan. 20, 2023.
Singapore arrested a Malaysian national and seized over 1,000 cartons of cigarettes for which duties had not been paid, Singapore Customs announced March 15. The man was arrested during a March 12 operation during which Singapore Customs officers saw a Malaysia-registered vehicle and a Singapore-registered truck parked on the side of the road. The officers checked the vehicles and found 1,020 cartons of cigarettes, arresting the Malaysian man. The total duty and Goods and Services tax allegedly evaded totaled $87,100 and $6,930, respectively (in Singapore dollars), and court proceedings are ongoing, Singapore Customs said.
The Singapore Customs TradeNet will undergo extended system maintenance March 27 4 a.m. to noon local time, it said March 15. Singapore Customs advises users to avoid submitting applications during this time. This is in addition to the usual 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. Sunday maintenance.
China required that traders seeking to import corpses and skeletons (bones) must declare the contents of such a shipment to China Customs at the port of entry, the General Administration of Customs said in a March 14 announcement, according to an unofficial translation. The move is meant to standardize China's quarantine regulations of corpses and bones.
Singapore Customs extended its e-services to cover five more trade-related applications, the customs administration announced March 15. Starting April 1, traders can use FormSG to apply for Cargo Agent's Import Authorisation, Vessel Registration, Kimberley Process License, Import Certificate and Delivery Verification, and Landing Certificate.
Vietnamese fish exporters have suspended fishery shipments to Russia due to complications arising from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the state-run CustomsNews reported March 11. Prior to the invasion, Vietnamese fish exporters saw a large hike in shipments of pangasius (shark catfish) to Russia in 2021. However, these export numbers took a massive tumble at the start of the year with the Ukraine invasion now being cited as a reason for the complete suspension of these shipments. CustomsNews said that the effects of the now greatly devalued Russian ruble have suspended payments for fish exports, leading to exporters halting the signing of all pangasius export orders to Russia. Tuna shipments also have faced serious setbacks, CustomsNews said. This appears to be a decision made by individual exporters in the industry and not an official order to avoid trading with Russia, though shippers have been warned to monitor ship container availability and possible blocking at certain ports.
Japan added three Belarusian banks to its list of sanctioned parties in response to Belarus' role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced March 11, according to an unofficial translation. Belagroprombank, Bank Dabrabyt and the Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus are now subjected to an asset freeze by Japan. The measures will come into effect on April 10.
Russia’s aviation authority said China has declined to provide Russian airlines with aircraft parts, some of which are subject to Western sanctions, Reuters reported March 10. The announcement came after Boeing and Airbus ceased providing Russia with aircraft components, which are subject to U.S. and EU export controls. A Russian official told the country’s news agencies that it will look to source parts from other countries, including Turkey and India, after a “failed attempt to obtain them from China,” according to the report. The U.S. Department of Commerce has threatened to penalize Chinese companies that help Russia evade export restrictions, including placing them on the Entity List (see 2203080053).