China again extended its Section 301 retaliatory tariff exclusion period for 12 U.S. agricultural products, including certain shrimp, whey, fishmeal, alfalfa and hardwood products, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service said in a recent report. The exclusions, which were set to expire Dec. 31, will continue through July 31. Beijing originally imposed the tariffs in retaliation for Section 301 tariffs announced by the Trump administration on certain Chinese goods.

India extended its free import policy for urad beans and tur/pigeon peas for another year, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade announced. The import policy will now run until March 31, 2025, and specifically applies to urad of Indian Tariff Code (Harmonized System) 07133110 and tur/pigeon peas of ITC(HS) 07136000.

The free trade agreement between China and Nicaragua was scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, China's Ministry of Commerce announced, according to an unofficial translation (see 2308310020). The ministry released the FTA's schedule of preferential tax rates, which includes zero percent tariff rates for Nicaragua's main exports, such as beef, shrimp, coffee and cocoa. The deal also sets out tariff quotas of 50,000 tons of sugar each year, with a duty rate of 15% beyond the 50,000 ton limit, while tariffs on Chinese exports to Nicaragua will be "gradually reduced and eliminated."

South Korea sanctioned eight people from North Korea in response to its long-range ballistic missile launch Dec. 18, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced, according to an unofficial translation. The people have generated revenue for the North Korean government or have aided the country's weapons programs, South Korea said, including by helping it buy and finance nuclear weapons and missiles, steal technology and trade in sanctioned materials, including weapons. South Korea said some also have been involved in "illegal cyber activities."

India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade this week extended until Dec. 31, 2024, the date for the mandatory electronic filing of non-preferential certificates of origin through the common digital platform. Until then, the existing mechanism used to process non-preferential COO applications in "manual/paper mode is permitted," the DGFT said.

Japan sanctioned three members of Hamas on Dec. 26, the Ministry of Finance announced, according to an unofficial translation. They are Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Marwan Issa.

China objected to the EU’s launch of an antidumping investigation on Chinese biodiesel last week (see 2312200029), saying it “firmly opposes protectionist behavior that abuses trade remedy measures.” The country’s Ministry of Commerce said past EU trade remedy measures “have been repeatedly criticized" by trading partners, according to an unofficial translation of a Dec. 21 press conference transcript. The ministry said it “will pay close attention to the EU's follow-up actions.”

China’s Ministry of Commerce criticized the Biden administration's decision this week to add 13 Chinese companies to the Unverified List (see 2312190022), saying the move will “destroy the market rules and the international business order,” according to an unofficial translation. “China will firmly oppose this,” the ministry said, adding that the U.S. should “stop its unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies.” Companies on the UVL are ineligible for U.S export license exceptions and are subject to additional reporting requirements.

China issued new export restrictions on four products this week, according to an unofficial translation of a Ministry of Commerce announcement. The four items are cell cloning and gene editing technology for human use, crop hybrid advantage utilization technology, "bulk material handling and transportation technology," and lidar systems.

China criticized a resolution passed by the European Parliament last week that urged the EU to sanction Chinese officials involved in the forced assimilation of Tibetan children into Chinese government-run boarding schools (see 2312150060), saying the resolution contained “disinformation.” Human rights conditions in Tibet “are better than ever,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said during a Dec. 19 press conference, adding that it’s “entirely up to the students and their parents whether to go to boarding schools or not.”