The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a Federal Register notice excluding certain List/Tranche 4 products (imports from China with an annual trade value of $300 billion) from Section 301 tariffs of 10 percent. The exemptions cover two 10-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) subheadings and 32 specially-prepared product descriptions, which cover 55
USTR Issues Notice Seeking Public Comment on Extending China Section 301 Tariff Exclusions for List/Tranche 3 Products Set to Expire in August 2020
On May 29, 2020, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released a Federal Register notice seeking public comment on whether extensions for up to 12 months should be granted for particular products that have received exclusions in the China Section 301 process from the 25 percent tariff on imports from China with an…
USTR Issues Notice Seeking Public Comment on Extending China Section 301 List/Tranche 1 Product Exclusions Set to Expire in September 2020
On May 29, 2020, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released a Federal Register notice seeking public comment on whether extensions for up to 12 months should be granted for particular products receiving exclusions in the China Section 301 process from the 25 percent tariff on imports from China with an annual trade…
White House Releases Report on Strategic Approach to China
On May 26, 2020, as required under the FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act, the White House released its report, “United States Strategic Approach to the People’s Republic of China,” detailing a government-wide strategy concerning the People’s Republic of China (China or PRC). Recognizing that 40 years of direct engagement with China has not…
Changing Hong Kong’s Special Trade Status? State Department Refuses to Certify Hong Kong’s Autonomy
Hong Kong currently enjoys special trade status with the United States in comparison to China, as a result of China’s agreement in 1997 to allow Hong Kong continued autonomy in many economic and administrative ways. As recent press articles have indicated, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has increasingly cracked down on the Hong Kong…
USTR Grants Extensions for Imported Chinese Products With Section 301 Tariff Exclusions Expiring June 4, 2020
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), after seeking comments on whether to extend for up to 12 months exclusions from the Section 301 tariffs granted in June 2019 for certain imports from China (see Trump and Trade Update of March 22, 2020), has approved 16 extensions covering the following Harmonized Tariff Schedule…
USTR Revokes Two Section 301 Product Exclusions for List/Tranche 4 Products
In a May 28, 2020 Federal Register notice, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), without explanation or precedent, revoked two granted Section 301 product exclusions. In early May 2020, the USTR approved a batch of product exclusions for certain List/Tranche 4 products (imports from China with an annual trade value of $300…
USTR Issues Additional China Section 301 Tariff Exclusions for List/Tranche 3 Products
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a Federal Register notice exempting Section 301 import tariffs for certain List 3 products from China (imports from China with an annual trade value of $200 billion). The exemptions cover 17 ten-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) subheadings and 61 specially prepared product descriptions, which cover…
Commerce Issues Interim Final Rule Addressing Foreign-Produced Direct Products and Specifically Targets Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued an Interim Final Rule amending General Prohibition Three, also known as the foreign-produced direct product reexport rule, so that this General Prohibition applies to certain additional foreign-made items destined for certain persons designated with a new footnote on BIS’ Entity List. Specifically, this…
Commerce to Further Restrict Huawei’s Access to U.S. Semiconductor Technology and Software; Temporary General License Extended for Final Time
Due to continuing concerns with Huawei Technologies and its non-U.S. affiliates accessing and using U.S. technology and software to design and manufacture its semiconductors, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) announced that it will further tighten export restrictions on the Chinese conglomerate. Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) will amend its foreign-produced direct product rule…
