A readout of U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai's video call with the U.S.-China Business Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's China Center Advisory Board said that she told them that the trade relationship with China is important, and there needs to be "a thorough strategic assessment to craft resilient trade policy that supports the Administration’s efforts to create jobs, raise wages, and strengthen our communities." She "reiterated USTR’s commitment to addressing China’s unfair trade policies and non-market practices that undermine American businesses and workers." The readout made no mention of tariffs, but said the business groups talked about the "challenges and opportunities" in the China market.

Tarif Akhras, founder of the Akhras Group and chairman of Syria's Homs Chamber of Commerce, was removed from the United Kingdom's Syrian sanctions regime, the Office of Financial Sanctions Notice said in a financial sanctions notice Aug. 12. The delisting notice provided no explanation for his removal.

A group of technology, auto, manufacturing and semiconductor groups urged congressional leaders to fund the CHIPS for America Act so the semiconductor industry can begin benefiting from tax credits and other incentives to boost U.S. semiconductor innovation (see 2107160040). The groups, including the Semiconductor Industry Association, the Information Technology Industry Council, the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, urged Congress in a July 22 letter to “expeditiously” approve funding for the bill and other programs to support the chip industry. “These initiatives will help grow the U.S. economy, create hundreds of thousands of good-paying middle-class jobs in advanced manufacturing and other fields, unleash billions in private sector investments, assure the supply of critical components essential to virtually all sectors of the economy, and strengthen our national security,” the groups wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Japan Customs published an updated list July 15 of the issuing authorities for exports' certificate of origin under the Generalized System of Preferences for North Macedonia and Afghanistan. The Economic Chamber of North Macedonia may certify a product's origin for North Macedonia, and the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment may do the same for Afghanistan. Japan's GSP applies reduced tariffs for imports from developing countries.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce asked Congress to work to renew and update the fast-track law officially called Trade Promotion Authority, which just expired. Executive Vice President and Head of International Affairs Myron Brilliant said, “TPA is the vehicle that allows American workers, farmers, and companies to secure the benefits of a new market-opening trade agreements; it lets members of Congress set negotiating objectives and guarantees they will be consulted as trade talks proceed; and it strengthens the hand of U.S. trade officials as they engage with foreign governments. To advance a pro-growth, pro-jobs trade agenda, TPA is essential.”

The European Union and the U.S. working together have the leverage to change China's distortions in the world economy, experts speaking during a three-day series on EU-U.S. trade issues said. But it's not easy, with the economic interests of German manufacturers in China, the history of trade tensions across the Atlantic, and bureaucratic torpor on both sides, they said.

Current geopolitical issues, deteriorating relations and COVID-19 are making it “impossible” to continue relying on China, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, a new report from the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry detailed. The group surveyed 189 Australian exporters and businesses, finding the difficulties with Chinese trade especially pronounced for small wine exporters. The problems stemming from the raising of tariff and non-tariff barriers by the Chinese government has made customer relationships incredibly difficult and “resulted in a complete cessation of trade.”

Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories for May 17-21 in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching on the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, says there is the potential for a bipartisan consensus on a strategy to compete with China. Romney, who was speaking at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce program May 19, said the two parties are more united than they were two years ago, as they recognize China's threat to liberal democracies. He said that "China’s rise is the result really of their economic resources, and those are resources that are built in part through predatory practices, particularly subsidized or predatory pricing which allows them to put western businesses out of business...."

A former U.S. trade representative and a former deputy national security adviser agree that companies that do business in China are stuck between a rock and a hard place, as they will anger China if they disavow abuses in Xinjiang or Hong Kong, but could break U.S. law if they make clothes with Xinjiang cotton.