The U.S. this week spoke with China to again warn it about helping Russia avoid international sanctions, a senior administration official said. During a June 13 meeting between U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese Politburo Member Yang Jiechi, Sullivan “reiterated concerns that the United States has raised repeatedly with China with respect to certain kinds of assistance to Russia,” the official said during a call with reporters. Although U.S. officials said they haven’t yet seen signs that China is helping Moscow evade sanctions, the U.S. has publicly and privately warned Beijing it will face severe penalties if it does so, including secondary sanctions and strict export controls (see 2203140009).
Several companies recently updated the status of their ongoing reviews with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. One of the companies, Swiss renewable energy company Viston United Swiss, was notified that CFIUS officially began its 45-day notice review period into its planned acquisition of California-based Petroteq Energy, an oil production and technology company (see 2204200015). The two companies had filed the notice to CFIUS May 16 and were told the review period started May 24, Viston said in a document filed with the SEC.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking public comments on an information collection related to Form BIS–999. The form, a Request for Special Priorities Assistance, is required for enforcement and administration of the Defense Production Act, the Selective Service Act and the Defense Priorities and Allocation System regulation. Contractors use the form to “obtain timely delivery of products, materials, or services from suppliers, or for any other reason under the DPAS, in support of approved national programs,” BIS said. Comments are due Aug. 15.
A German think tank specialist in semiconductors' value chain vulnerabilities told the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission he's concerned that the policy focus on bringing more production back to either the EU or the U.S. won't achieve its aims because policymakers aren't sure what those aims are.
The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports again postponed by a week a new surcharge meant to incentivize the movement of dwelling containers (see 2110280031), the two ports announced June 10. The ports had planned to begin imposing the fee in November 2021 but have postponed it each week since. The latest extension delays the effective date until June 17.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking public comments on an information collection related to international import certificates. Importers use the certificate to certify to the U.S. government that they won’t reexport the goods “except in accordance with the export control regulations” of the U.S. Comments are due Aug. 12.
The State Department approved a potential $120 million sale of military equipment to Taiwan, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said June 8. The sale includes ship spare parts, ship system spare parts and related equipment. There is no prime contractor, and the equipment will be sourced from approved U.S. Navy vendors or U.S. Navy stock.
A recent surge in exports caused the U.S. trade deficit to shrink in April by the largest amount in more than nine years, Reuters reported June 7. The deficit dropped by about 19% to $87.1 billion, the largest decline since December 2012. The decline comes after years of all-time high trade deficits caused by supply chain issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Federal Maritime Commission this week announced three new initiatives it hopes will aid shippers and address supply chain issues, including one that will establish a new International Ocean Shipping Supply Chain Program and another that will reestablish the commission’s Export Rapid Response Team. The FMC will also “take the steps necessary” for carriers and marine terminal operators to employ a designated FMC compliance officer.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking public comments by Aug. 8 on an information collection related to its export control seminars. The collection deals with voluntary surveys submitted to BIS for its seminars, which helps give the agency feedback on how it can improve its “course offerings to meet the needs of the exporting community.”