Australia’s Department of Defense updated its application form for the export of controlled goods and technology, a June 18 notice said. Effective June 22, Australia accepts only the new version of the form.
China and Cambodia expect to ratify before the end of the year a free trade agreement featuring increased market access for goods and services, improved investment protocols and increased regulatory alignment, according to a June 18 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Cambodia hopes the deal delivers a boost to its exports, the HKTDC said, which will soon lose their duty-free access in the European Union (see 2003030020).
India plans to raise import duties on more than 150 goods and impose non-tariff barriers on another 100 goods in an effort to protect domestic industry, according to a June 18 Reuters report. The measures, which have been under review since April and are expected to be “gradually outlined” over the next three months, could include license requirements and stricter quality checks, the report said. The decision could target $8 billion to $10 billion worth of imports, including engineering goods, electronics, medical equipment and air conditioners, to deter “lower quality imports which render Indian products uncompetitive,” the report said. The report specifically names China as one of the countries that could be impacted.
India lifted export restrictions on hydroxychloroquine and formulations made of hydroxychloroquine, the country’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a June 18 notice. The country banned exports of the drug in March (see 2003250014).
China revised certain origin standards that will impact the mainland’s trade with Hong Kong and Macao, China’s General Administration of Customs said in a June 18 notice, according to an unofficial translation. The notice includes a revised “table of origin standards” for each region. The measures take effect July 1.
China’s Foreign Ministry criticized President Donald Trump’s signing of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (see 2006170064), saying it “grossly” interferes in Chinese affairs, according to a June 18 report from Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency. China said it will take countermeasures. “China will respond resolutely, and the United States must bear all the consequences arising therefrom,” the ministry said.
Chinese meat importers are concerned about customs delays after Beijing’s main port announced mandatory coronavirus tests for all incoming containers, Reuters reported June 17. The Tianjin port began testing batches for every arriving container this week, including all meat and seafood imports, the report said. Importers are worried the increased tests will lead to a backlog and fear other Chinese ports might adopt the measure as the country begins to see a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, the report said.
Singapore Customs’ TradeNet will undergo system maintenance June 28 4 a.m. to noon local time, a June 16 notice said. The agency is advising users to avoid submitting applications during this time. This is in addition to usual maintenance on Sundays 4-8 a.m.
Cambodia will soon require all food labels and packaging to be translated into the country’s Khmer language, a June 12 KPMG post said. The measure, effective July 1, will apply to all companies and factories handling food packaging or labels.
India is restricting a range of tire imports, the country’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a June 12 notice. The restrictions apply to imports of certain tires for cars, lorries, motorcycles and bicycles. The listed imports had been designated with an import policy of "free."