The semiconductor industry was disappointed the new U.S. export control rules involving China weren’t imposed multilaterally and were frustrated by the Commerce Department’s lack of engagement before the rules were announced, a chip industry executive said. Semiconductor companies also have received mixed messages from Commerce about how long it could take to convince allies to impose similar controls, a China technology expert said, and fear that China could retaliate before allies are brought on board.
Iran imposed reciprocal sanctions on the U.S., the EU, the U.K. and Canada for their restrictions on Iran in the wake of the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini and the subsequent violent crackdowns on the protests, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced, according to an unofficial translation. Sanctioned parties are subject to an asset freeze and travel ban. The sanctions on the U.S. include Michael Kurilla, commander, U.S. Central Command; Gregory Guillot, deputy commander, U.S. Central Command; Army Col. Scott Desormeaux, based in Erbil, Iraq; Brian Nelson, Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence; the C.I.A.; the 9th Air Force of the U.S. Army; and the U.S. National Guard. The lists for the sanctioned British, European and Canadian parties were also released.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control designated members of an international oil smuggling network that facilitated oil trades and generated revenue for Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), according to a Nov. 3 OFAC notice.
Qualcomm this week said it’s not affected by the U.S.’s new semiconductor export controls against China (see 2210070049) and that its business operations in the country remain steady. “The latest set of restrictions, we were not impacted by those,” CEO Cristiano Amon said during a Nov. 2 earnings call. “We have seen our business in China continue to expand.”
The U.S. and the Netherlands are planning this month to hold a new round of discussions on export controls, including restrictions to limit China’s access to advanced semiconductor technologies, Bloomberg reported Nov. 2. Bureau of Industry and Security Undersecretary Alan Estevez will travel to the Netherlands as part of the talks, the report said, as will senior U.S. National Security Council official Tarun Chhabra. The U.S. will try to convince the Netherlands to expand its export controls on shipments of chip technologies to China, the report said, although officials don’t expect an agreement to come from the discussions. The meeting comes as BIS tries to convince allies to join the U.S in imposing new export restrictions designed to restrict China’s ability to acquire advanced computing chips and manufacture advanced semiconductors (see 2210070049). A BIS spokesperson declined to comment, and the White House didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The U.K. issued a general license Nov. 2 under its Russia sanctions regime pertaining to Truphone. The license lets the company continue to provide services under existing arrangements and allows an individual or entity to carry out any activity needed for the effective termination of service contracts or obligations with Truphone. The company can pay remuneration, allowances and pensions to all British staff and reasonable fees for the functioning of the business. The license runs through Jan. 31.
The U.K. added four entries to its Russia sanctions list, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said in a Nov. 2 notice. Entries are for Alexander Grigoryevich Abramov, former nonexecutive chairman of Evraz; Alexander Vladimirovich Frolov, former Evra director and CEO; Airat Mintimerovich Shaimiev, former director of OAO Tatavtodor; and Albert Kashafovich Shigabutdinov, former director of the AO TAIF group of companies. In the same notice, OFSI also noted it amended the entries for Aleksandr Kostomarov, Brian McDonald and God Nisanov, to add identifying information.
The European Commission and member states' competent authorities met last week to discuss sanctions enforcement and best practices to organize monitoring and implementation of sanctions at the national level. Per a statement from Commissioner Mairead McGuinness, the commission and member states talked about best ways to share pertinent information to ensure the commission "can offer proactive support." The involved parties "agreed to set up mechanisms to exchange information more swiftly."
The European Commission on Oct. 26 took up a legislative proposal to make instant payment in euros available to all individuals and entities with a bank account in the EU and European Economic Area countries. The move would harmonize the sanctions screening procedure for all instant payment providers. These providers would not carry out transaction-based sanctions screening and instead revert to verification of whether their clients are sanctioned individuals or entities on a daily basis and when the sanctions lists are amended. If a provider fails to conduct the verifications on a timely basis and causes another provider involved in the same transfer to violate the screening regulations, the affected provider will be compensated by the offending provider for non-compliance penalties.
China imposed export controls on high-pressure water cannon products, the General Administration of Customs announced Nov. 1, according to an unofficial translation. Restrictions will take effect Dec. 1 on the export of high-pressure cannons whose maximum range is greater than or equal to 100 meters, rated flow is greater than or equal to 540 cubic meters per hour and rated pressure is greater than or equal to 174 pounds per square inch. Operators of high-pressure water cannons must be registered with China's Ministry of Commerce, and no unit may be exported without registration.