Applied Materials ordered staff to suddenly stop doing business with customer Xiamen Sanan Optoelectronics, a day after the Chinese LED chip maker appeared on a U.S. government “unverified list” of foreign entities (see 1904100017), according to a Nikkei Asian Review report. California-based Applied supplies semiconductor production equipment and large-area deposition systems for LCD and OLED display manufacturing. Xiamen Sanan describes itself as China’s “largest LED epitaxial wafer and chip manufacturer, endeavoring to become top 1 in the global LED industry.” Applied didn't comment. Efforts to reach Xiamen Sanan, whose shares are listed on the Shanghai stock exchange, were unsuccessful.
Exports to China
Recent editions of Mexico's Diario Oficial list trade-related notices as follows:
The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices as of April 15 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):
China’s Administration of Customs is expanding a campaign to combat solid waste smuggling, according to an April 12 press release, including “deepening law-enforcement cooperation with foreign countries” and “market regulation authorities.” The announcement comes less than a month after China Customs said it seized more than 300,000 tons of smuggled imported trash from a scheme that involved 22 smuggling groups (see 1903250021).
China and Croatia have signed an agreement to establish a “joint work group” that will improve “trade cooperation” between the two counties, according to a press release from China’s Ministry of Commerce. China called the agreement a “new platform for investment and cooperation,” and will continue to meet with Croatia to consult on “strengthening information exchange on policies” and “address barriers” in specific projects. Specifics of the agreement were not immediately released.
The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices as of April 12 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):
It is unclear how China will enforce some of the regulations introduced in its new e-commerce law, according to an April 7 report published by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, leaving some foreign companies and small businesses uncertain about selling products to China online. Some foreign department stores that previously shipped online sales directly to China have already switched to large Chinese e-commerce platforms that import through a Chinese distributor, according to the report. Others, the report said, “have pulled out of the Chinese market entirely.”
The U.S., Mexico and several other countries expressed concern over the European Union’s plans for allocating its tariff-rate quotas after the United Kingdom’s planned withdrawal from the EU, at an April 11 meeting of the WTO trade in goods council, according to a Geneva-based trade official. “The current approach to Brexit TRQ negotiations is unacceptable and we are eager to engage [with the EU] to ensure our rights are maintained,” a U.S. representative said at the meeting.
The U.S. Grains Council is asking China to eliminate antidumping and anti-subsidy tariffs on American distillers grains, according to a report from Reuters. China’s Ministry of Commerce will review the request and the tariffs on the grains, an animal feed ingredient, according to the report.
China’s April 9 decision to lower taxes on certain imported goods likely won’t have a large impact on imports or trade, according to an expert on China business. The move, announced by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, will reduce the tax rate on certain goods -- such as books, computers, food, furniture and medicine -- from 15 percent to 13 percent. It will also reduce import tax rates on other products, including sporting goods, textiles and electronic appliances, from 25 percent to 20 percent (see 1904080006).