China updated its origin standard for certain goods shipped from Hong Kong to the mainland, the General Administration of Customs said in a Dec. 8 notice, according to an unofficial translation. Starting Jan. 1, 2022, China will implement an annex to the Harmonized System code 56.03. The annex says non-woven fabrics, regardless of whether they are impregnated, coated or laminated, have been changed from other items to this point in that the regional value component from Hong Kong is calculated as 40% by deduction or 30% by cumulative addition.
Beijing reacted with scorn to the Treasury Department’s designation Dec. 10 of 15 individuals and 10 entities for their alleged connections to human rights abuses in several countries (see 2112100034). Treasury singled out Chinese tech firm SenseTime for developing facial recognition algorithms it said “can determine a target’s ethnicity, with a particular focus on identifying ethnic Uyghurs” in Xinjiang. Treasury’s action to block any business from being transacted with any of the named individuals or entities “seriously interferes in China’s internal affairs” and “gravely violates basic norms governing international relations,” a Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson said Dec. 13. “China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this,” he said. “We urge the U.S. to immediately revoke its wrong decisions and stop moves that interfere in China’s internal affairs and undermine China’s interests. If the U.S. insists on having its way, China will take strong countermeasures in response.”
Vietnam's La Lay Customs Branch is launching legal action involving the illegal smuggling of tracwood, rosewood and chalkstone worth over $165,000, the state-run CustomsNews reported. Vietnamese Customs found the smuggled wood at the La Lay Border Gate in central Vietnam on the border with Laos, after inspecting seven container trucks registered to An Tran Import and Export Co., Ltd. The company was found to have made false declarations on the types of wood on board, some of it rare and precious wood. The report also said that the "containers held nearly 11,000 kg of ice (suspected to be chalkstone) without an import declaration." The legal action follows an interdisciplinary meeting between the Quang Tri Customs Department and the People's Procurary of various provinces, CustomsNews said.
The Philippines recently joined the international ATA Carnet system, allowing tax and duty-free temporary exports and imports of nonperishable goods for up to one year, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported Dec. 8. The duty exemptions apply to products showcased at trade fairs or exhibitions, professional equipment and "personal goods and effects for sports purposes,” HKTDC said. The ATA Carnet, recognized by 87 countries and territories, will also allow temporary exporters to use one document for all customs transactions, the report said. If the temporarily admitted goods aren’t removed from a country within the allotted time, the parties must pay the full taxes and duties.
Twenty years after China joined the World Trade Organization, the U.S. is focused on the market distortions and domestic consequences caused by China's export-led growth, even as exports are a smaller and smaller proportion of China's GDP.
Thailand plans to amend its food labeling regulations to require more information for certain genetically modified food imports, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a report released Dec. 6. Under the new measure, which is expected to take effect in mid-2022, all food containing genetically modified plants, animals or microorganisms must be labeled if any genetically modified ingredient “is equal to or greater than 5 percent of the total weight,” USDA said.
South Korea submitted its Instrument of Ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, setting the agreement to enter into force in South Korea Feb. 1, 2022, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry noted. Ratification makes South Korea the 11th country in RCEP. The Korea Customs Service also announced that its customs administration support measures to ensure a full utilization of the agreement would be implemented Dec. 8, according to an unofficial translation. The customs service said it will promptly review applications for RCEP exporter certification, establish support centers to fully utilize RCEP, and implement a cooperation system between the customs organizations of countries in the region, among other things.
Sri Lanka recently announced plans to partially lift an import ban on agrochemical products, including fertilizers and pesticides, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported Dec. 6. The restrictions, introduced in May, will no longer apply to chemical fertilizers, pesticides and weedicides but will still apply to chemical fertilizers for paddy cultivation, HKTDC said.
Singapore recently extended its goods and services tax to cover certain low-value imports, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported Dec. 7. The tax, effective Jan. 1, 2023, will apply to items imported through post or air and worth less than $296, the report said. The country will penalize noncompliant overseas traders and vendors, HKTDC said. Singapore joins the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom and Switzerland in imposing GST on low-value goods.
India invites applications for import authorization for watermelon seeds for the period of Jan. 1 to March 31, 2022, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade said. For this period, watermelon seed imports are not to exceed 15,000 metric tons, so interested importers must apply for authorization to bring in the seeds. The Exim Facilitation Committee will review the applications, taking into consideration the firm's monthly and annual processing capacity and the applicant's prior imports. Dec. 13 is the last day online applications will be accepted for this period.