Australia will host a virtual technology summit to discuss key technology issues with allies, including security concerns surrounding cyber and critical technologies, Australia’s foreign ministry said Dec. 23. The Sydney Dialogue, planned for the second half of 2021, will aim to bring together “political leaders, industry experts, academics and civil society representatives” to discuss “the most pressing issues” around sensitive technologies. Australia said it wants “the design, creation and use of technology to reflect our values.” The summit comes as the U.S. and the European Union grapple with how to control emerging and sensitive technologies to prevent authoritarian governments from using them (see 2012140049 and 2009300056).
China’s General Administration of Customs issued an announcement on inspections and supervisors of imports and exports of “dangerous chemicals and their packaging,” according to an unofficial translation of a Dec. 18 notice. The notice includes rules and procedures for customs officials and traders when shipping the hazardous chemicals, including what should be in the declarations, how they should be labeled and packaged, what standards the goods must meet and other rules. The announced rules and procedures go into effect Jan. 10, 2021.
India set its quota for sugar exports to the U.S. for the 2021 fiscal year, the country’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said Dec. 18. India said it will allocate 8,424 metric tons raw value of sugar products to be exported to the U.S. for the fiscal year that runs Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021, with no export restrictions.
India revised its import policy conditions for copra and certain coconut oil, a Directorate General of Foreign Trade notice said Dec. 21. The notice changes how the goods can be imported by India’s state trading enterprises and other companies.
China issued new rules for conducting national security reviews on foreign investment, following a trend of increased investment screening mechanisms around the world, including by the U.S. (see 2001140060) and the European Union (see 2010090016). The measures, which will take effect next month, draw on other international investment screening mechanisms and are meant to “actively promote and protect foreign investment, China said Dec. 19, according to an unofficial translation. The rules establish a working body to review foreign investments based on national security concerns related to various Chinese sectors, including the military and the energy and agriculture industries.
China criticized the U.S. move to add Chinese companies to its Entity List last week (see 2012180039), saying it unfairly suppresses Chinese industry and is an abuse of export controls. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson urged the U.S. to reverse the measures. “China firmly opposes this and will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies,” the spokesperson said Dec. 19, according to an unofficial translation of a release of a press conference transcript.
China released details for its upcoming free trade agreement with Mauritius, which it said will take effect Jan. 1, 2021, according to an unofficial translation of a Dec. 16 notice. The notice contains technical provisions of the deal, including measures surrounding rules of origin.
China’s General Administration of Customs issued rules related to inspections for certain mechanical and electrical products, a Dec. 11 notice said, according to an unofficial translation. The notice includes “implementation rules” for pre-shipment inspections of imported used mechanical and electrical products, which will take effect Jan. 1, China said. The rules are designed to “strengthen and standardize” customs management of the inspections, China said.
Burma recently reduced its list of products that need an import license, removing the requirement from 689 tariff lines, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service reported Dec. 9. Those goods span a range of agricultural products, including buttermilk and cream, whey, butter, certain sausages, certain fish, certain waters and coffee-based drinks and certain “non-aerated beverages.” Despite the license requirement removals, USDA stressed that more than 3,900 tariff lines, including the “majority” of U.S. agricultural exports to Burma, still require a license.
China will impose temporary countervailing measures on wine imports from Australia, a Dec. 10 Ministry of Commerce notice said, according to an unofficial translation. China said its wine industry has been subject to “substantial damages” due to Australian wine subsidies. Beginning Dec. 11, Chinese importers must pay Chinese customs authorities at 6.3% to 6.4% rates for certain wine imports, the notice said. In a separate move, China recently imposed steep import taxes on Australian wines after saying they were being unfairly dumped (see 2011300022).