Section 301 Update: Four-Year Review, Exclusions, Litigation, and the Future of China Tariffs
China Tariffs are here to stay â for now. The Biden Administration continues to defend the Trump-era tariffs on goods from China with little guidance as domestic inflation climbs steadily. Meanwhile, 2022 has been a busy year for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (âUSTRâ). The agency was instructed by the Court of International Trade to provide further written justification for the Section 301 Actions for Lists 3 and 4a in the wake of the agencyâs obligatory four-year review of each tariff action.
Tuas Megaport in Singapore, An Upcoming Model to the World in Port Operations, and soon to be Light Years Ahead of the Globes Largest Ports
The Maritime Port Authority (MPA in Singapore) is currently in the process of building the Tuas Port, which will be the biggest port in the world with a capacity of 60 million TEUâs (twenty-foot equivalent units) once it is fully completed in 2040. PSA, the company taking the lead in the construction has implemented a four-phase process, with the first phase officially opening this September 2022, with three berths being operational.
Antidumping Duties â Can I Obtain a Separate Lower Rate?
In Antidumping (AD) investigations, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) typically selects only a limited number of exporting entities for review, with these exporters referred to as âindividualâ or ânamedâ respondents. Selection of these respondents is based on U.S. Customs and Border Protection Data, and in most cases due to limited DOC resources, will consist of only a few of the largest exporters.
What Have They Done to the ITAR? – Revisions and Reorganization Underway
Joe Compliance has an export control issue involving definition of some of the terms being used. Joe goes to the website of the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (pmddtc.state.gov) and clicks on âReview the ITAR.â He opens Part 120 where the definitions are found.
The Semiconductor Industry in MĂ©xico
According to the science of composition, a semiconductor is a material which, when subject to light, heat or a specific electrical voltage may be transformed into a conductor. Semiconductors are used to produce memory sticks, PC cards, smart cards, microchips, microprocessors, transistors, compact flash, start media, among many other items.
Can, and Should, the U.S. Government Develop a CBDC System?
In response to the Executive Order on Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets[1] issued on March 9, 2022, both the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Treasury Department (Treasury) have recently issued reports analyzing the possible design and feasibility of creating a U.S. Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).[2] The reports make clear that significant technical issues and major policy considerations need to be addressed for the U.S. to develop a CBDC.
Snapshot of Section 301 Litigation â Litigating the Adequacy of the USTRâs Rationale for List 3 and List 4a
The legality of the Section 301 Actions for List 3 ($200 Billion Trade Action) and 4a ($300 Billion Trade Action) continues to be contentiously disputed before the Court of International Trade. The mass action, In re Section 301 Cases, No. 21-00052, encompasses claims of over 6,500 Plaintiffs that argue the Section 301 Duties, enacted under the Trade Act of 1974, are illegal.
Chinaâs Economic Cost of Invading Taiwan
China and Taiwan have been locked in a tussle for decades over who gets to call the island country home. China considers Taiwan a breakaway province, while Taiwan sees itself as a sovereign nation. The recent increase in tensions between China and Taiwan has many experts worried that Chinese forces may soon attempt to retake the mainland by force, but that wonât happen anytime soon. China would face a prolonged conflict on its doorstep that would worsen its already strained economic conditions.
OFAC Reissues Cyber-Related Sanctions Regulations
An inherent aspect of any new technology is that it doesnât take long for bad actors to figure out how it can be weaponized for nefarious purposes. Cyber-related technologies represent an increasingly dangerous area of risk for everyone, whether they are individual citizens, business and infrastructure entities, or governments. Adversaries of the U.S., including China, Russia, and North Korea have engaged in acts of cyberespionage, often intended not only to cause actual harm, but also to test our ability to counter acts of malicious cyber-intrusion.
What is the CHIPS Act, and Will it Fix the Semiconductor Supply Chain Issues?
Unless youâve been living on a lost island in the South Pacific, you are no doubt aware of the shortage of semiconductors. The shortage and supply chain issues have been highlighted in media reports that feature video images of parking lots and fields full of partially assembled automobiles at many U.S. auto manufacturing locations.
