A Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry advisory panel is focusing on its trade insurance program, which has been affected by global trade tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan said in an Oct. 12 news release. Japan said that it plans to “analyze the issues that have emerged regarding trade insurance,” such as the pandemic and the “US-China conflict,” according to an unofficial translation. Japan also said that it will take “further measures” through Nippon Export and Investment Insurance, Japan’s state-owned insurance corporation. The advisory panel was scheduled to hold its first meeting Oct. 13.
China and Colombia signed their free trade agreement about three months after concluding negotiations (see 2007200012), an Oct. 12 Chinese news release said, according to an unofficial translation. The agreement contains provisions on rules of origin, customs procedures, technical trade barriers and phytosanitary measures, China said. The deal will also eliminate tariffs on most Chinese and Cambodian products and establishes an “electronic network” to digitally transmit certificates of origin to speed up customs clearances.
China began an anti-subsidy investigation into imports of U.S. polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products, China's Ministry of Commerce said in an Oct. 14 notice, according to an unofficial translation. China said it expects to complete the investigation before Oct. 14, 2021, but may extend it another six months if “special circumstances” warrant it. China last month began an antidumping investigation into U.S. PVC products (see 2009250012).
China will increase customs checks and requirements for cargo and other goods coming from Chad after an outbreak in that country of the chikungunya fever, China’s customs authority said in an Oct. 10 news release. Increased requirements will apply to “vehicles, containers, cargo, luggage items, mail, express mail, and corpse bones,” China said, which will require “sanitary quarantine.” Chikungunya fever causes symptoms in humans such as rash, fatigue and headache, with joint pain, and is spread by mosquitoes. The measures will be in place for six months.
China revised measures for submitting electronic cargo manifests for ground vehicles, its General Administration of Customs said in a notice released Oct. 9, according to an unofficial translation. The notice makes changes to “filing specifications” for certain data items, a “fast customs clearance” procedure for certain cargo, and other electronic declarations related to goods. Changes will take effect Dec. 1. The measures are meant to “strengthen the management of road inbound and outbound transportation vehicles” and standardize the submission of data declarations, China said.
India removed export restrictions on “N95/FFP2” masks, the country’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in an Oct. 6 notice. The country had previously announced a monthly export quota for the masks to maintain domestic supply during the COVID-19 pandemic (see 2008270008).
China issued guidance on its value-added tax “reduction policies” for certain anti-cancer and rare disease drugs, a Sept. 30 notice said, according to an unofficial translation. China said it will reduce VATs on those imported drugs by 3% and will allow “general VAT taxpayers” to “produce, sell, wholesale and retail” the drugs. The notice also contains instructions on how to declare the imports with Chinese customs and a list of drugs that qualify.
Vietnamese agricultural exports have increased sharply since the country implemented its free trade agreement with the European Union Aug. 1 (see 2007010009), the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency said in an Oct. 7 post. Compared with July, Vietnam exports rose by more than 11% in August and by 30% in September, the post said. The country’s agricultural minister called for more standardization among Vietnam’s agricultural producers to further take advantage of the trade deal, the post said. Although Vietnam’s agricultural sector has benefited, its wood sector has struggled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it said. Wood processors have seen “numerous order cancellations or late payments.”
Thailand recently banned imports of electronic waste, according to the Basel Action Network, an environmental justice group. The country announced the move in September, banning 428 different types of electronic scrap, BAN said in an Oct. 6 press release. BAN and Ecological Alert and Recovery Thailand (EARTH), an environmental research foundation, applauded the move, saying Thailand has been a popular spot for dumping plastic and other wastes by Hong Kong and U.S. brokers. The groups called for strict enforcement of the import ban. “We must remain vigilant against actors that will ignore this new law, both inside and outside of the country,” said Akarapon Teebthaisong, an official at EARTH. BAN and EARTH also commended China for its effort to ban waste imports (see 2006030010) and called on “all countries” to do the same. Interpol recently said it is seeing a rise in illegal trash trade (see 2008280035).
Malaysia recently expanded its sales tax exemption order, KPMG said in an Oct. 6 post. Previously, the exemption applied only to certain locally manufactured goods purchased for export within six months. But the exemption order will now apply also to purchased goods that are transferred to certain “designated areas” and “special areas” and now considered an export. The change took effect Oct. 6.