Japan issued statements clarifying its position under its new export restrictions against South Korea, saying certain export conditions will be tightened but others will not be impacted. The measures, which took effect Aug. 28, place restrictions on chemicals -- and other goods -- used to make computer chips and other high-tech products (see 1908020023).

Vietnam proposed a move to exempt import duties on car parts intended for the “assembly/manufacture of green/alternative fuel vehicles,” according to an Aug. 27 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The exemption would apply to parts imported before 2024, the report said.

Singapore's and Thailand’s customs mutual recognition agreement will take effect Sept. 1, allowing for a more efficient exporting process and faster customs clearance for authorized economic operators in the two countries, Singapore said in an Aug. 26 notice. Qualifying companies “can now look forward to facilitated clearance for their goods” when the two countries trade, the notice said. The agreement covers companies certified under Singapore Customs’ Secure Trade Partnership-Plus program and Thailand’s Authorized Economic Operator program.

Taiwan is tightening labeling requirements for imported chicken products to urge “retail outlets” to label slaughter and production dates on all imports, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service report released Aug. 23. Taiwan’s Food And Drug Administration urged companies to comply with the change in a recommendation published Aug. 13, USDA said. Taiwan plans to first impose a “trial program requesting voluntary labeling on all poultry meat and products sold at convenience stores, supermarkets, and hypermarkets” before the measures are officially imposed, the report said. USDA said the country did not release a date for when the trial would begin, but said it would impact about 10 percent of the country’s U.S. chicken imports.

Taiwan “rejected or destroyed” 23 shipments of U.S. agricultural products during the first half of 2019 due to chemical residues and food additives, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a report released Aug. 23. The USDA said 15 of the 23 rejections contained “pesticide residues,” such as “fluopyram on fresh broccoli and fruit powder.” Food additives were the second largest reason for violations, USDA said, and included issues such as “benzoic acid on collagen powder and vitamin drinks.” USDA said the violations “continue to pose a challenge to U.S. agricultural exports and exporters should be vigilant in the face of strict Taiwan adherence to food safety regulations.”

China is renewing a customs agreement that allows Hong Kong traders to transship cargo from Hong Kong to mainland China under reduced tariffs, according to an Aug. 21 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The agreement allows for reduced tariffs for cargo from China’s list of “Least Developed Countries,” which includes mainly African nations, including Angola, Ethiopia, Uganda and more, the report said. The agreement allows Hong Kong traders to apply for “Certificates of Non-manipulation,” which make cargo eligible for “preferential tariffs,” the HKTDC said. The agreement was originally set to end on Aug. 1.

An Indian national was sentenced to prison after being convicted on charges of illegally importing thousands of packets of cigarettes and avoiding more than $120,000 (in Singapore dollars) in taxes, Singapore said in an Aug. 21 press release. Singapore said Veerappan Vimalraj stored more than 13,000 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes and more than 10,000 “sachets of prohibited chewing tobacco” in a storage facility and routinely delivered the goods to customers in Singapore, who would try to avoid detection by not dealing with Vimalraj face to face for the transaction. Vimalraj was sentenced to about 19 months in prison.

Vietnam "completed" its draft amendments to various export and import tariffs, which includes a change to the “regulations on preferential import tax rates for raw materials, supplies and components to manufacture” goods for the auto industry, Vietnam Customs' mouthpiece CustomsNews said in an Aug. 22 report. The regulations include a zero percent “preferential import tax rate” for “domestic raw materials, supplies and components that have not yet been produced in the period of 2019-2023,” the report said. The report also clarifies how companies can qualify for the lowered import tax rate.

Israel and South Korea signed a trade deal that will ease customs duties for both sides, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in an Aug. 21 press release.

Singapore Customs arrested two women for illegally importing counterfeit perfume and cosmetic products, Singapore said in an Aug. 20 press release. After finding a shipment with more than 200 counterfeit cosmetics products, Singapore officials carried out raids that uncovered more than 16,000 cosmetics products with fake trademarks worth more than $800,000 (in Singapore dollars), the press release said. Officials said the women planned to sell the products online. The women each face a maximum fine of $100,000 and a maximum prison sentence of five years.