Two Chinese scholars specializing in international trade said they found U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai's Oct. 4 speech (see 2110040008) encouraging, even though she criticized Chinese adherence to market principles and the effect that has on companies around the world.
Section 301 (too broad)
The office of the U.S. Trade Representative plans to restart a Section 301 tariff exclusions process, and has no immediate plans to remove any of the Section 301 tariff targets now that its comprehensive China review is over. However, a government official who spoke on background during an Oct. 3 call with reporters said, "We also want to make sure to align existing tariffs to those [Biden-Harris administration] priorities."
The rollout of the new China trade policy looks a lot like the old China policy, with a new chance at Section 301 exclusions and all the tariffs remaining for now. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai suggested during the speech on the results of the China policy review that she doesn't have much hope for getting more structural reform that the phase one China agreement did not secure.
CBP created Harmonized System Update (HSU) 2109 on Sept. 29, containing 477 Automated Broker Interface records and 99 Harmonized Tariff Schedule records, it said in a CSMS message. The update reflects the extended exclusion from Section 301 tariffs on China of headings that cover goods used in treating COVID-19 (see 2109270044). Those headings -- 9903.88.62, 9903.88.63, 9903.88.64 and 9903.88.65 -- will now expire Nov. 14. CBP also issued a guidance on the subject.
The U.S. Trade Representative announced that Vietnam has committed to keep illegally traded timber out of the supply chain, so no trade action is warranted as a result of the Section 301 investigation. Vietnam agreed to improve customs enforcement at the border with high-risk source countries, and to collaborate on enforcement with those countries, in addition to other verification and seizure practices.
A Section 301 investigation into illegal timber trade in Vietnam will result in no tariffs on Vietnamese goods, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said Oct. 1. Many stakeholders argued against a punitive approach on the issue (see 2011160027), including groups that fight the harvest of rare wood, such as the Sustainable Furnishings Council and the Environmental Investigation Agency.
The Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS) was updated Sept. 24. The following headquarters rulings were modified recently, according to CBP:
The Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS) was updated Sept. 24. The following headquarters rulings were modified recently, according to CBP:
International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from Sept. 20-24 in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
Most trade groups and companies that have filed comments so far on extending Section 301 tariff exclusions on COVID-19 pandemic-related imports from China want those tariffs to continue to be waived. Comments were due Sept. 27. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced Sept. 27 that it will temporarily extend the exclusions to Nov. 14, rather than Sept. 30, so that agency employees can have more time to analyze public comments (see 2109270044).