Global Trade >>

Global Trade News has taken the information that we have gathered over the last month from governments around the world, and compiled it into a monthly summary, posted here for you. Continue reading → ...

Tokyo (AFP) April 08, 2014 - The head of the Bank of Japan on Tuesday cast doubt on Bitcoin's future, saying the scandal-plagued digital unit "cannot be a currency" unless it proves its reliability. The computer-generated currency has suffered a series of blows since February when the Tokyo-based Bitcoin trading exchange MtGox filed for bankruptcy, after admitting it had lost about half a billion...

Tokyo (AFP) April 08, 2014 - Japan posted its first current account surplus in five months in February, helped by a narrower trade deficit and higher returns on investment abroad, government data showed Tuesday. Japan logged a surplus of 612.7 billion yen ($5.9 billion) in February, down 5.7 percent from the surplus the year before, but a reversal of a deficit of 1.59 trillion yen in January. The...

Chancellor Merkel’s declaration to issue sanctions that could cause “massive economic and political harm” to Russia leaves many questioning how Germany might suffer as a result. Continue reading → ...

Brussels (AFP) April 01, 2014 - Winding up an 11-day visit to Europe taking in mega business deals and stately banquets, President Xi Jinping toured China's biggest Belgian factory Tuesday, a Volvo car plant. And before flying home he gave a keynote speech to 300 students and VIPs including Belgium's royal couple, calling for ever deeper bonds between China and Europe, who together make up a quarter...

Nicosia (AFP) April 03, 2014 - The boss of a Bitcoin company in Cyprus has fled abroad days after it suddenly stopped operations, in a blow to the virtual currency's once vaunted prospects on the island. Privately owned television channel Sigma TV said Thursday that it had repeatedly tried to contact Neo & Bee CEO Danny Brewster, but to no avail. The firm launched a huge advertising campaign earlier...

As of 26 March, 2014, Indonesia has officially terminated its Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) with the Netherlands and has mentioned that it intends to terminate all of its other BITs. Continue reading → ...

Winkowski brings 38 years of experience to the department and has served in a number of leadership positions including his role as the Acting Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Continue reading → ...

Have you seen US Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) latest scheduled deployment for Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)? 5 April, 2014 brings the next deployment of capabilities for ACE Continue reading → ...

Taipei (AFP) March 29, 2014 - Taiwan's embattled President Ma Ying-jeou offered concessions to protesters Saturday, the eve of a planned mass demonstration against a controversial trade pact with China. Around 200 student-led demonstrators have occupied parliament for more than a week and are urging people to take to the streets of Taipei Sunday to increase the pressure on Ma's Kuomintang government....

Brussels (AFP) March 30, 2014 - Chinese leader Xi Jinping began a three-day visit to Belgium Sunday on the last leg of his European tour that will include meeting the Belgian royals and seeing giant pandas ahead of an historic EU visit, the first ever by a Chinese president. Xi was welcomed at the airport by Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo and he is set to go to the royal palace in central Brussels...

Brussels (AFP) March 31, 2014 - Chinese leader Xi Jinping, on the last leg of a maiden tour of Europe, on Monday made a ground-breaking visit to European Union headquarters underlining China's bid to firm up bilateral ties. "This first visit by a Chinese president to the EU was a historic landmark in EU-China relations," a joint EU-China statement said. "Both sides... welcomed the significant strengthening...

Paris (AFP) March 27, 2014 - After a day devoted to multi-billion-dollar business deals, Chinese leader Xi Jinping trained his sights on culture and history Thursday on the last day of his lavish visit to France. Yet business was still the talk of the day at an economic forum on the margins of the three-day state visit, as French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici called for more Chinese investment...

Hong Kong (AFP) March 27, 2014 - Chinese conglomerate Citic Group, whose businesses span property, resources and banking, plans to shift its vast assets into its Hong Kong-listed unit in a multi-billion-dollar deal that will help it tap overseas investment. The country's largest state-run conglomerate will hand all its shares in Citic Limited -- its operating company with unaudited assets worth about...

Lyon (AFP) March 26, 2014 - Chinese President Xi Jinping was set Wednesday to sign a series of major business deals on the second day of a lavish state visit to France. Xi is to hold talks with French counterpart Francois Hollande, after which a raft of trade agreements are expected to be announced. The three-day visit, which comes on the 50th year of full diplomatic ties, ends with a concert Thursday...

Lyon (AFP) March 25, 2014 - France rolled out the red carpet for China's leader Tuesday as he arrived for a nostalgia-tinged trip due to be dominated by the signing of scores of business deals. President Xi Jinping and his glamorous wife Peng Liyuan touched down in the eastern city of Lyon, where authorities were on maximum alert, closing streets, forcing some residents to carry a proof of address...

Taipei (AFP) March 25, 2014 - Taiwan's president Tuesday offered to talk with protesters in a concession to student demonstrators who have occupied parliament for the past week in a bid to stop the government from ratifying a contentious trade agreement with China. The invite was apparently aimed at preventing any further escalation of the demonstration, after more than 100 people were injured Monday...

Tokyo (AFP) March 26, 2014 - Failed Bitcoin exchange MtGox said Wednesday it has submitted "electronic records" and other documents to the Tokyo police after it collapsed in February admitting losing half a billion dollars' worth of the digital currency. The Tokyo-based exchange filed for bankruptcy protection in Japan last month, saying it had lost 850,000 coins, worth nearly $500 million at the...

Washington (AFP) March 21, 2014 - The United States said Friday it was planning to begin negotiations with other leading trading countries for a deal to cut tariffs for green goods like solar panels. The office of the US Trade Representative said it had officially notified Congress of the plan to open talks for a new pact on environmental goods under the World Trade Organization. "By eliminating tariffs...

Taipei (AFP) March 21, 2014 - Student protesters occupying Taiwan's legislature to stop the government from ratifying a contentious trade pact with China on Friday called on the public to surround the ruling party's offices after their ultimatum was ignored. The protesters say the deal will damage Taiwan's economy and leave it vulnerable to political pressure from China, allegations rejected by the...