The Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill Oct. 21 that would direct the Commerce Department to lead a review of challenges posed by Chinese foreign investment in the U.S. (see 2508010044).
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, the top Democrat on a Russian secondary sanctions bill, said he's not discouraged that Senate Majority Leader John Thune is putting off a vote on the bill again. The bill has 85 sponsors in the Senate, and would give the president the ability to put up to 500% tariffs on the goods of countries that buy Russian fossil fuels; it also would expand sanctions on Russian officials.
President Donald Trump told reporters that unless China stops fentanyl shipments, resumes buying U.S. soybeans and stops playing "the rare earth game with us," he won't lower tariffs.
Two Asia Society Policy Institute experts said the readouts from the call over the weekend between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng suggest the call was mostly logistical, planning for the next round of talks in Malaysia.
A bipartisan group of 27 House members, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Emeritus Michael McCaul, R-Texas, called on President Donald Trump Oct. 17 to impose “forceful new joint sanctions” on Russia and countries that buy its oil, to pressure Moscow to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine.
RANCH MIRAGE, Calif. -- The Federal Maritime Commission is increasing its enforcement action against ocean transportation intermediaries (OTIs) to promote adherence to licensing and tariff regulations, speakers said at the Pacific Coast Council’s Western Cargo Conference last week.
President Donald Trump posted on social media that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a long, "very productive" phone call on Oct. 16. In addition to talking about the ceasefire in Gaza and the first lady's efforts to get Ukrainian children held in Russia or Russia-occupied Ukraine back to their parents in free Ukraine, "we also spent a great deal of time talking about Trade between Russia and the United States when the War with Ukraine is over," he wrote.
President Donald Trump, in response to a question about whether he would engage in trade talks with India, said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi "assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That's a big stop. Now I got to get China to do the same thing."
The U.S. is drafting a new set of export controls to use against China if Beijing follows through on its rules to restrict overseas exports that contain certain levels of Chinese-origin material (see 2510090021), senior administration officials said Oct. 15 during a press conference. They also said they're working to coordinate a response with allies.
President Donald Trump, on his way to Israel, softened his message on tariffs on Chinese goods. When asked if imposing those tariffs was still the plan, he said, "Right now it is. Let's see what happens. November 1st is an eternity."