China made certain technical changes and other revisions to import and export declarations for COVID-19 test kits, according to an unofficial translation of a Dec. 29 notice from the country’s customs agency. The notice revised product codes related to the test kits and updated how certain units of measurement must be declared. The changes entered into effect Jan. 1.

China’s foreign ministry criticized the U.S. decision last month to identify five additional Chinese officials under its Hong Kong Autonomy Act (see 2112200054), saying it “strongly condemns the U.S. act of sanctioning Chinese personnel.” As a result of the sanctions, the U.S. is looking into whether any foreign bank knowingly conducts “significant” transactions with the five officials and could impose further sanctions. “Once again we urge the U.S. to remove the so-called sanctions on Chinese personnel and stop meddling in Hong Kong’s affairs, which are China’s domestic affairs,” the spokesperson said Dec. 30, according to a transcript of a regular press conference. “The Chinese side will continue to take all necessary measures to defend its national interests and dignity."

Vietnam's Lang Son province reduced fees for border gate infrastructure and service prices at the Tan Thanh border gate, which is facing massive congestion of agricultural products for nearly a month, the state-run CustomsNews reported Dec. 29. Over 4,200 export-carrying trucks, 2,924 of which were carrying fresh fruit, were held up at border gates in Lang Son province as of Dec. 25, primarily at the Tan Thanh border gate, the report said. Accordingly, the rate for vehicles carrying export and import goods dropped by 10%, and the rate for vehicles carrying business goods in the form of temporary imports for re-export, goods temporarily exported for reimport, border gate transfer goods, foods from foreign countries stored in bonded warehouses for export and goods in transit was dropped by 5%. Lang Son also decided to provide free treatment for drivers infected with COVID-19. The report said the congestion of agricultural products has been on the increase because of China’s tightening of trade rules for COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control.

Vietnam Customs and China Customs held a conference Dec. 28 to discuss deepening ties on anti-smuggling enforcement, particularly for wild animals and plants, drugs and prohibited goods, the state-run CustomsNews said Dec. 29. The Operation Mekong Dragon 3 initiative, for example, jointly deployed by Vietnam and China customs authorities "in the entire Asia-Pacific region" saw "more than 800 cases of drug and wildlife trafficking that have been dealt with by member Customs authorities," Nguyen Hung Anh, director general of Vietnam Customs, said. "As a result, the anti-smuggling unit of Vietnam Customs, China Customs, and Thai Customs jointly received the Asia Environmental Control Award." The two sides exchanged "valuable information" on how to promptly detect smuggling and enforce anti-smuggling action, the report said.

China’s recently issued 2022 annual tariff adjustment plan is set to “tentatively” lower tariff rates for a variety of wood and fishery products but raise rates for pork, orange juice products and other agricultural goods, USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service said Dec. 27. Under the changes, China will temporarily lower its most-favored nation import rates for 954 tariff lines beginning Jan. 1, including for fresh Atlantic salmon and wood products, but raise tariffs on certain agricultural goods. The tentative tariff rates will be applied to all exporting countries.

USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service issued a report Dec. 27 on China’s new pinewood log and lumber import requirements (see 2112200012), including information on new phytosanitary requirements, port of entry quarantine requirements and designated ports for receiving the imports. USDA warned that all U.S. pinewood logs and lumber will need to comply with the new requirements by Feb. 1 or risk rejection or destruction at Chinese ports. The agency also said U.S. exporters should be careful not to confuse the new requirements with China’s recently issued notice on designated regulatory sites for imported logs. The new pinewood import rules require exports of the wood from affected countries to enter China through a “narrower list of ports,” USDA said.

U.S. fill rates for certain Japanese agricultural tariff-rate quotas “remained low” during the first half of the Japanese fiscal year 2021, USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service said Dec. 22. The agency said allocation volumes for a range of Japanese TRQs “represented only 4-45 percent of the total TRQ available” from April 1 through Sept. 30. This was despite benefits offered by the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, USDA said, which created nine TRQs that established beneficial import tariffs for certain U.S. doughs, wheat, cheese, malt, whey, potato starch and more.

Indonesia recently imposed import duties on certain apparel and accessories for three years, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported Dec. 21. The duties range from about $1 to $4 per item for the first year and will decline each of the following two years, HKTDC said. The tariffs will affect on 134 categories of items, including formal wear, casual wear, coats, skirts, jerseys, cardigans and pullovers. Particularly impacted will be Bangladesh.

China implemented phytosanitary requirements for all imports of citrus fruits from Laos, the General Administration of Customs said in a Dec. 27 notice, according to an unofficial translation. The new import standards included a list of nine pests of concern to China, among them the spiral whitefly, guava fly and peach fly. All orchards in Laos that grow citrus sent to China should focus on monitoring these pests and should also implement good agricultural practices including maintaining hygienic conditions in orchards, cleaning up fallen fruits in a timely manner and implementing comprehensive pest management, the requirements said.

South Korea is ready to meet the standards set by the 11-member Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo told Nikkei, according to an unofficial translation. Discussing the trade pact's ability to benefit both South Korea and Japan, Yeo said that South Korea will begin discussions on the process for joining the regional trade agreement. The South Korean government's comments follow bids from China and Taiwan to join the CPTPP.