American and Chinese officials discussed tariffs, export controls and market access issues during the April 2-5 first meetings of the U.S.-China Commercial Issues Working Group, both countries said in readouts after the talks.
The Federal Maritime Commission will be conducting network maintenance April 6, and said some of its systems will “experience intermittent outages” from 9 a.m. to noon EDT. Those include the FMC’s common carrier tariff and marine terminal operator schedule registration form; its application for a license as an ocean transportation intermediary; its Foreign Based Unlicensed Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier Registration; its Agreement Library; its eAgreements Filing System; and its List of FMC Licensed & Bonded OTIs. The FMC said its Service Contract Filing System, or SERVCON, will “remain available” throughout.
U.K.-based aerospace manufacturer Vertical Aerospace said the Bureau of Industry and Security decided not to penalize it after determining the company likely violated U.S. export controls.
U.S. and EU officials speaking in Belgium didn’t divulge many details about what they expect to come from the sixth meeting of the Trade and Technology Council this week, saying mostly that they hope the forum will continue no matter who wins upcoming elections in the U.S. and Europe (see 2403120066).
Speakers on a Georgetown Law Center on Inclusive Trade and Development panel this week dismissed the possibility of the U.S. and China negotiating a compromise or agreement on guardrails for when it's appropriate to make trade or investment restrictions based on national security.
President Joe Biden spoke April 2 with Chinese President Xi Jinping, raising concerns about Chinese “support” for Russia’s defense industrial base and the importance of U.S. technology export controls. “The President emphasized that the United States will continue to take necessary actions to prevent advanced U.S. technologies from being used to undermine our national security, without unduly limiting trade and investment,” the White House said in a readout of the two leaders’ phone call. The White House also said Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen plan to visit China.
U.S. government officials at the Bureau of Industry and Security’s annual conference last week underscored the value of Mandarin-language skills when conducting due diligence on potential Chinese customers.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls is looking to speed up its processing of advisory opinion requests, a government official said during the Bureau of Industry and Security's annual conference last week.
Ocean carriers COSCO Shipping Lines and Orient Overseas Container Line Limited violated U.S. shipping regulations when they failed to perform their “inland transportation obligations," charged unfair detention and demurrage fees, and refused to release cargo, Samsung Electronics America said in two separate complaints filed with the Federal Maritime Commission on March 28.
A new list published last week by the Bureau of Industry and Security names more than 150 entities that have asked companies to boycott goods from certain countries. BIS hopes the list helps “raise awareness” among companies, financial institutions, freight forwarders and others about where boycott requests may come from, allowing them to better comply with the agency’s anti-boycott regulations, said Matthew Axelrod, the BIS assistant secretary for export enforcement.