Beijing (AFP) May 10, 2014 - Some 200 virtual currency enthusiasts excitedly traded namecards and participated in panel discussions Saturday at China's first-ever Global Bitcoin Summit -- but several expressed shock that the event was given the green light in the first place. Bitcoin is a form of cryptography-based e-money that can be stored either virtually or on a user's hard drive, and offers a...
Washington (AFP) May 09, 2014 - US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew will urge China to play by the rules economically when he meets top officials in Beijing next week, officials said. Lew will spend Tuesday in talks with Chinese counterparts, with China's reform agenda, the coming annual US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, and "efforts to level the playing field for US workers and firms" on the...
Tokyo (AFP) May 12, 2014 - Japan's annual current account surplus is the lowest on record, government figures showed Monday, as fossil fuel bills and a sliding yen overshadow rising exports. For fiscal 2013, the value of the goods, services and investments that left Japan exceeded those coming in by 789.9 billion yen, ($7.75 billion), plunging 81.3 percent from 4.2 trillion yen the previous year....
When entering your goods into the US, the proper information must be provided when completing these forms in order to avoid any issues with the clearance of your goods. Continue reading → ...
The Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) will hold a public meeting on May 22, 2014. Continue reading → ...
Shanghai (AFP) May 08, 2014 - China's biggest bank ICBC has banned activities related to trading in Bitcoin, it said Thursday, joining at least 10 other Chinese banks participating in a government crackdown on virtual currencies. Bitcoin, invented in the wake of the global financial crisis by a mysterious computer guru, is a form of cryptography-based e-money that can be stored either virtually or...
Washington (AFP) April 30, 2014 - Washington said Wednesday that China's efforts to steal US trade secrets are of "significant concern" as it again listed the country as a major violator of intellectual property rights. In its annual "Special 301" report on IP rights violators, China led 10 countries on the US Trade Representative's "priority watch list", marking its 25th year on the list. Despite...
Beijing (AFP) April 30, 2014 - China is pressing for a vast Asia-Pacific free trade agreement, a senior official said Wednesday, as a rival US-led deal that excludes the Asian giant runs into snags. Wang Shouwen, an assistant commerce minister, told reporters at a briefing that China has proposed setting up a working group to study the feasibility of an Asia-Pacific Free Trade Agreement (FTAAP). The...
Washington (AFP) May 02, 2014 - The United States on Friday hit imports of food enhancer MSG from China with high duties, saying the country is dumping the product in the US market at below cost. The Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITC) said it would collect a 52 percent anti-dumping duty on China-sourced monosodium glutamate. MSG is used in many prepared foods to boost...
Sydney (AFP) May 05, 2014 - Chinese iron and steel giant Baosteel on Monday said it was readying a takeover bid for Aquila Resources that values the Australian iron ore and coal firm at Aus$1.4 billion (US$1.3 billion). Baosteel Resources Australia, a subsidiary of the Chinese parent's overseas development arm, and Australian rail freight operator Aurizon are offering Aus$3.40 per share in cash for...
Shanghai (AFP) May 05, 2014 - A Chinese property tycoon shut out by Iceland after he sought to buy a vast tract of the country is turning his attention to Norway, he told AFP on Monday. Huang Nubo, founder of Chinese property firm Zhongkun Group, said in a telephone interview that he still wants to develop high-end resorts in northern Europe and plans to invest 80 million euros ($111 million) in Norway...
With sourcing, processing and assembly happening all over the world for a product line, it can be difficult for companies to determine how to label a product’s Country of Origin accurately. Join Integration Point for a free webcast to understand more about Country of Origin determination and best practices. Continue reading → ...
On Tuesday, 6 May 2014, the Coalition of New England Companies for Trade (CONECT) and the Boston Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association (BCBFFA) will present a seminar, co-hosted by the (NE) Canadian Consulate on “US Trade with Canada.” Speakers from both sides of the border will convene in Weston, Massachusetts, USA to discuss border processing, documentation, clearance, and penalties...
If you haven’t already registered, don’t miss your chance to attend the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones’ (NAFTZ) 28th Annual Spring Seminar. This year’s seminar will take place May 4-6th in Seattle, Washington. Continue reading → ...
With preferential trade agreements (PTA) and free trade agreements (FTA) being so similar, it’s easy to confuse the two. The two terms are often heard in regard to trade between countries, and though their concepts are similar, they serve two distinct purposes. Continue reading → ...
Do you have an Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) portal account? Share your thoughts now in the 2014 ACE Satisfaction Survey for the Trade. Continue reading → ...
Dongguan, China (AFP) April 28, 2014 - Tens of thousands of employees at a Chinese factory making shoes for Nike, Adidas and others returned to work Monday after one of the country's biggest recent strikes ended, following what campaigners called typical government intimidation. The Communist Party fears an independent labour movement could threaten its grip on power, so it only allows one government-linked...
Shanghai (AFP) April 25, 2014 - China has ordered owners of a huge Taiwan-backed shoe factory to address striking workers' grievances about unpaid social security, an official said Friday. Thousands of employees at a factory owned by Yue Yuen, which calls itself the world's largest branded footwear maker, in Dongguan city have been on strike since April 14, although some have returned to work, according...
Integration Point teamed up with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to bring you the latest updates on CBP’s Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program. Here are the answers to your questions asked during the webcast. Continue reading → ...
Madrid (AFP) April 22, 2014 - Spain's population shrank in 2013 for a second year with foreigners including many Britons abandoning the country, although the number of Chinese there grew, official data showed Tuesday. The number of Britons -- many of whom live on Spain's warm east and south coasts -- plunged by nearly 23 percent to 297,300, the figures from the National Statistics Institute showed....