India’s government reaffirmed it will only use domestically produced solar cells for solar-energy products, potentially decreasing demand for imported solar cells, according to an Oct. 31 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. While the requirement had previously been in place, HKTDC said, the government’s announcement followed reports that contractors were ignoring the order and were using imported “semi-processed” solar cells “with only minimal processing actually taking place in India.” The move is aimed at boosting domestic production of solar cells “while also insulating the country’s manufacturing sector from being undermined by cheap imports,” the report said.

Foreign e-commerce suppliers selling to Taiwan must issue “cloud government uniform invoices” to their domestic purchasers starting Jan. 1, 2020, KPMG said in an Oct. 29 post. This is following a transition period to the system that started Jan. 1, 2019, and continues through the end of the year. E-commerce suppliers who do not issue the cloud GUIs may face penalties of up to “five times the tax that should have been collected” for violations of the Taiwanese value-added tax laws, the post said. Suppliers can issue cloud GUIs -- or electronic GUIs -- to customers through email, phone and other means approved by Taiwan, KPMG said.

South Korea and New Zealand plan to strengthen economic cooperation, including in trade, South Korea’s foreign affairs ministry said in an Oct. 29 press release, according to an unofficial translation. The announcement came after ministers from the two countries met in South Korea, which also featured talks on sanctions. New Zealand said it is working to “implement [United Nations] sanctions” toward North Korea and both sides agreed to continue implementing measures by the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council.

Macau, a special administrative region of China, will ease import restrictions on certain Japanese food products, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Oct. 28, according to an unofficial translation. The move will lift restrictions from certain vegetables, fruits and dairy products, Japan said.

Japan will amend its import and export procedures for certain animals and plants after August amendments to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Japan is advising traders to refer to the changes, which will take effect Nov. 26, before “proceeding with import/export procedures,” according to an unofficial translation of an Oct. 29 notice and press release. The notice contains information on how the changes will affect imports and exports of certain plants and animals before the effective date, and which products will be affected.

India’s Ministry of Defense recently issued two open general export licenses for exports of certain parts and components and exports of intra-company transfer of technology. Both licenses authorize exports to Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Britain, the U.S., Canada, Italy, Poland and Mexico.

China plans to eliminate restrictions on some foreign investments and hopes to continue addressing the issue in future trade negotiations, Chinese officials said during an Oct. 29 press conference, according to an unofficial translation.

A Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson suggested that the U.S. and the United Nations should remove sanctions from North Korea because they are not solving the problem.

Japan Trade Minister Isshu Sugawara resigned Oct. 25 following allegations that he violated election law, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, according to an unofficial translation. Sugawara’s duties involved filling a “key post” in Japan’s ongoing trade dispute with South Korea (see 1910240032), according to Reuters. Abe asked Hiroshi Kajiyama, a former member of Abe’s Cabinet, to fill the role. Abe hopes to quickly fill the role to avoid “delay in the important administrative and policy-making fields such as industrial policy, trade policy, and energy policy,” he said.

Indonesia’s president instructed officials to increase the country's exports in new and revised trade agreements, the government’s Ministry of Trade said Oct. 25, according to an unofficial translation. Indonesia wants to increase commodity exports that lack “opportunity” in foreign markets, the notice said. "For example, the products we export to the United States, but other countries with similar goods come in better. It means cheaper, deals with tariffs and so on," an Indonesian official said. As part of its plans, Indonesia said it plans to cut regulations that impede exports, the notice said.