The U.S. threatened sanctions against China and several other countries voiced concern after Beijing removed four pro-democracy legislators from Hong Kong’s parliament this week. U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien Nov. 11 said the forced removals provided more evidence that Beijing is seeking to quash dissent in Hong Kong. He said the U.S. will continue to punish China under the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act and the Hong Kong Autonomy Act (see 2008110046 and 2006040038). The U.S. will look to “identify and sanction those responsible for extinguishing Hong Kong’s freedom,” O’Brien said.
Singapore Customs’ TradeNet will undergo system maintenance Nov. 22 from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Nov. 29 from 4 a.m. to noon local time, a Nov. 10 notice said. The agency advised users to avoid submitting applications during this time. This is in addition to the usual 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. Sunday maintenance.
Hong Kong’s Trade and Industry Department reminded entities involved in the trade of certain chemicals of upcoming deadlines to apply for licenses and report certain activities. Entities and facilities that trade in chemicals controlled by the Chemical Weapons Convention must submit “permit applications” for 2021 by Nov. 30 and report by Dec. 21 “whether they were engaged in the specified activities,” the agency said in a Nov. 6 notice. Information on the permit and reporting requirements for scheduled chemicals is included in the notice.
China will impose antidumping duties on imports of certain m-cresol from the U.S., Japan and the European Union, China’s Commerce Ministry said in a Nov. 6 notice, according to an unofficial translation. The duties, ranging from 27.9% to 131.7%, will apply to imports starting Nov. 6.
Thailand will ban two pesticide residues on imported food products beginning in 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a Nov. 3 report. The move will ban imports of food containing paraquat and chlorpyrifos residues by reducing maximum residue limits to zero, beginning June 1, 2021, FAS said. The ban will likely impact “several” Thai industries that rely on imports of food inputs that may contain residues of those pesticides, the report said, including wheat flour milling, soybean oil processing, and international trading of fruit and vegetable products. The country is almost entirely reliant on imports for its supply of wheat grain, soybeans and soybean meal. FAS said this could lead to disruptions in the supply chains for the industries' customers, including bakery manufacturers, the hotel and hospitality industries, and food processors.
Bangladesh is investigating whether its commercial banks are breaching customs import regulations, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council said Oct. 30. The probe stemmed from a Bangladesh customs authority allegation that banks are providing letters of credit to importers that “exceed the annual import cap specified in their import registration certificates.” Those practices “cause problems when it comes to releasing imported items” and leads to a “shortfall in terms of due fees and underpaid” value-added taxes, the HKTDC said.
India will restrict unscheduled cargo charter flights by overseas carriers to six of the country’s airports, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council said in a Nov. 3 report. The restriction will apply to “ad hoc and non-scheduled freighter charter service flights” and is aimed at maximizing the “air cargo handling opportunities” for domestic operators, the report said. Overseas operators can apply for special clearance to fly from other airports, but there is “no guarantee” their applications will be accepted. The six airports are Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai. The report said that “many traders freighting perishable/time‑sensitive goods from areas not in easy reach of one of the designated facilities” have complained about the arrangement.
China will allow imports of dried chili peppers from Uzbekistan, a notice from China’s General Administration of Customs said Nov. 3, according to an unofficial translation. The notice outlines inspection and quarantine requirements for the imported peppers. Dried chili peppers produced starting Nov. 3 will be allowed.
Singapore Customs issued an Oct. 30 guidance on the Association of Southeast Asian Nation’s Customs Transit System (ACTS), which it said will improve land transportation of goods when it takes effect Nov. 2. The system, which Singapore said will be implemented among some ASEAN member states, will allow traders to “submit a single ACTS electronic declaration to cover the entire transit journey,” Singapore said. The guidance contains details on how traders can register for the system and other conditions.
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced sanctions and trade restrictions on two people for illegally importing protected wildlife, the agency said Oct. 30. Japan said Shigeyuki Koyama and Mamoru Miyata imported 15 live Australian lungfish from Indonesia without the required licenses, according to an unofficial translation of the notice. The fish are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Japan said the two people are now subject to import bans.