The U.S. should build a “consortium” of like-minded countries to collaborate more closely on semiconductor export controls to counter China and its coercion of Taiwan, the Center for a New American Security said in a Jan. 27 report. The consortium would also coordinate other “punitive actions,” such as investment screening, to counter “Chinese economic and political aggression.”
The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports again postponed a new surcharge meant to incentivize the movement of dwelling containers (see 2110280031), the two ports announced Jan. 28. The ports originally planned to begin imposing the fee Nov. 15, but have postponed it each week since. The latest extension delays the effective date until Feb. 4.
The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology is extending the comment period for a study on investment, supply chain and marketplace trends in eight emerging technology areas, the agency said in a notice. NIST is specifically seeking feedback to help guide the development of artificial intelligence, the internet of things in manufacturing, quantum computing, blockchain technology, new and advanced materials, unmanned delivery services, IOT and 3D printing. The comments, originally due Jan. 31 but now due Feb. 15, will help inform a NIST report to Congress on those emerging technologies. The Bureau of Industry and Security is studying each of these areas for potential export controls as part of its emerging and foundational technology effort under the Export Control Reform Act (see 2110280040).
EU trading partners are “deeply concerned” about France’s implementation of decrees to reduce single-use plastic package waste by 2025, which have included only “limited” consultation with traders and lack sufficient details, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service said in a Jan. 26 report. The agency said “many details regarding practical implementation” of the French goal to eliminate plastic waste “have yet to be announced,” and traders are struggling to understand the impacts. “Non-EU trading partners are deeply concerned that the lack of detail and the absence of consultations could be very disruptive to trade,” USDA said. “The decrees set a clear timeline for specific objectives, but they lack important details on implementation and enforcement mechanisms.”
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis is conducting a mandatory survey on U.S. direct investment abroad to help measure the impact of the investments on the American and foreign economies, the agency said Jan. 27. BEA will contact entities that are required to respond to the survey, and a report from each entity covering its fiscal year ending during the previous calendar year is due by May 31. U.S. lawmakers are considering a new screening regime to better scrutinize outbound investments (see 2201140038).
The State Department approved two potential military sales to Egypt worth more than a combined $2.5 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Jan. 25. The first sale is for $2.2 billion worth of “C-130J-30 Super Hercules Aircraft” and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. The second sale is for $355 million worth of “Air Defense Radar Systems” and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be L3 Harris Surveillance Systems.
The Commerce Department this week released the results of its 2021 request for information on risks in the semiconductor supply chain (see 2109230018), finding that greater U.S. fab capacity would help alleviate chip supply chain issues. The agency also said U.S. semiconductor companies have “significantly increased the utilization of their existing capacity” since the chip shortage began in 2020, but demand continues to outpace supply. In a report outlining the results, Commerce urged Congress to fund legislation that would provide more support and incentives for the semiconductor industry. “The RFI results make it clear: America needs to produce more semiconductors,” Commerce said. “Congress must pass funding for domestic semiconductor production, such as the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, to solve our supply challenges for the long term.”
The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission is seeking a contractor to produce a report on the demographics of China’s military and any “personnel changes” associated with military recruitment and retention, the commission said Jan. 20. The report should include such information as the type of education and expertise China’s military looks for in recruits, how military officials are compensated and how well China is able to retain its recruits. The commission is accepting proposals from contractors until 5:30 p.m. EST on Feb. 10.
Intel plans to build two new chip factories in Ohio worth $20 billion, with chip production expected to begin in 2025, the company announced Jan. 21. The two new facilities will help “boost production to meet the surging demand for advanced semiconductors” and could be followed by more Intel factories in the area, Intel said. The facilities will also help the U.S. “build a more resilient supply chain and ensure reliable access to advanced semiconductors for years to come,” Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said. Construction is expected to begin late this year. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo applauded the announcement, calling more factories “essential to our efforts to rebuild America’s chip building capacity.” The White House also urged Congress to finalize the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, which was passed by the Senate in June and would provide full funding for the Chips for America Act (see 2112010023).
The Commerce Department is seeking comments on ways it can incentivize domestic semiconductor investments and accelerate chip research to “ensure a robust domestic semiconductor industry,” the agency said in a notice. The comments will help inform Commerce as it prepares to implement semiconductor incentives and other chip provisions passed as part of the 2021 defense policy bill, the agency said. It hopes the public can help “inform the design and implementation of the set of potential” programs described in the bill, and is specifically looking for feedback from semiconductor manufacturers, materials providers, equipment suppliers, designers, trade associations, semiconductor buyers and semiconductor industry investors. Commerce said it may hold workshops to “explore in more detail questions raised” in the notice. Comments are due 5 p.m. EST on March 25.