The European Union wants to work with America on ways to develop Artificial Intelligence standards, design a carbon adjustment border mechanism and stockpile medicines and personal protective gear in a way that lessens dependency on certain Asian countries, its ambassador to the U.S. said on a webinar hosted by the European American Chamber of Commerce

China warned President Joe Biden not to follow the same adversarial path that the Trump administration took on China policies, urging the new administration to help strengthen bilateral relations in an “objective and rational manner.” Biden should “learn from the Trump administration’s lessons where they carried out the wrong policies on China,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Jan. 26. The countries have “broad common interests and shoulder special, major responsibilities in safeguarding world peace and stability.” China’s comments came one day after the White House said it views China as a strategic competitor and will work to counter the country’s illegal trade practices (see 2101250049).

The World Customs Organization announced additional changes to the upcoming 2022 edition of the Harmonized System that were recently agreed upon as corrections and amendments to the initial text announced in January 2020 (see 2001290033). The additional changes include corrections throughout the classification scheme, as well as amendments to chapters 21, 24, 26, 29, 67, 84, 88 and 97. While the latest version of the HS, released every five years, takes effect Jan. 1, 2022, these additional amendments will not be binding until Jan. 1, 2023, though parties to the HS are “encouraged” to apply them beginning in 2022, the WCO said.

Mexican workers who do not have U.S. work visas should be given coronavirus vaccines, Mexico's foreign minister said during a news conference Jan. 13. Marcelo Ebrard also said his country would turn to the USMCA's labor chapter to make sure that happens. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative did not respond to a request for comment.

Lens Technology, a major supplier for Apple, is said to have used Uighur workers in the Xinjiang region of China, The Washington Post reported Dec. 29. Lens Technology and Apple didn't respond to requests for comment.

The Ottawa Group, which includes the European Union, Japan, Brazil, Korea, Mexico, Switzerland, Canada and others, is arguing that a coordinated global response is needed to COVID-19, including cooperating on vaccine distribution, and trade in other medical supplies, and says regulatory compatibility on these goods should be improved so that the world will be ready for the next pandemic.

Ambassadors to the World Trade Organization said they're hoping the new Joe Biden administration will line up behind Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for director-general, and will get serious about finding a way to resuscitate the Appellate Body, though they acknowledged the latter may have to wait for the COVID-19 crisis in America to subside. Ambassadors from Canada, Japan, Singapore, Australia and Switzerland spoke on a webinar Dec. 11 hosted by the Washington International Trade Association.

China's President Xi Jinping on Nov. 25 congratulated President-elect Joe Biden on his election, the Chinese Embassy in Washington reported. Promoting “healthy and stable development” of China-U.S. relations “serves the fundamental interests of the people in both countries” and “meets the common expectation of the international community,” Xi's message to Biden said, the embassy said. “Xi said he hopes that the two sides will uphold the spirit of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.” The Biden transition team didn’t comment.

The European Council approved a tariff package that would eliminate customs duties on U.S. lobster imports in exchange for reduced U.S. duties on several European Union products, including prepared meals, crystal glassware, surface preparations, propellant powders and lighters (see 2008210028). The package, which the European Union said would be the first EU-U.S. tariff reduction in two decades, could increase market access for both EU and U.S. traders by about $240 million per year, the council said in a Nov. 18 news release. The package needs European Parliament approval. If enacted, it would take effect retroactively from Aug. 1 for five years.

The U.S. and eight other countries speaking at the World Trade Organization said they're concerned about the expected proposal from the European Union to implement a carbon border tax as part of its climate change mitigation policy. The proposal is expected next year. A Geneva trade official said the EU started the discussion at a Committee on Trade and the Environment meeting Nov. 16. The countries that are concerned want to make sure subsidies for EU industries in green energy will be fair; that costs aren't borne only by producers; and that any action is WTO-compliant.