Huan Zhu
Chinese State Council Press Conference on Trade Policies
On February 24, the State Council Information Office of China held a press
conference
[http://www.scio.gov.cn/xwfbh/xwbfbh/wqfbh/44687/44948/wz44950/Document/1699129/1699129.htm]
with regard to China’s plan for trade and economic development. Chinese Minister
of Commerce (MOFCOM) Wang Wentao, Vice Minister of
EU Outlines Trade Policy Plans
The European Commission issued its internal Trade Policy Review
[https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2021/february/tradoc_159438.pdf]
(COM(2021) 66 final) on February 18, 2020, setting out an “open, sustainable and
assertive trade policy” to ensure “open and fair trade with well-functioning,
diversified and sustainable
China Issues New Antitrust Rules for Internet Operators
On February 7, China issued its Guideline for Anti-Monopoly for the Internet
Platform Industry （关于平台经济领域的反垄断指南
[http://gkml.samr.gov.cn/nsjg/fldj/202102/t20210207_325967.html]）. This
Guideline provides a set of antitrust rules that apply specifically for internet
operators. This development follows China’s recent passage of an
Canadian Spy Agency Director Calls China "A Direct Threat" to National Security
Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Director David Vigneault, during a
public speech
[https://www.canada.ca/en/security-intelligence-service/news/2021/02/remarks-by-director-david-vigneault-to-the-centre-for-international-governance-innovation.html]
on February 9, identified the Government of China as “a direct threat to our
Xiaomi Files Lawsuit Against U.S. Government Designation as Communist Chinese Military Company
The Chinese electronics company Xiaomi and three individuals associated with it
have filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
challenging the U.S. government’s designation of Xiaomi as a Communist Chinese
military company and the resulting restrictions imposed on it. The complaint
China Proposes Rules to Regulate Rare Earth Production
On January 15, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued the Draft Rare Earth Management Provisions (公开征求对《稀土管理条例（征求意见稿）》的意见) and solicited public comments, which are due by February 15. This draft comes after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited a rare earth factory in May of 2019,
China's New Legal Tool to Counter Foreign Sanctions
On January 9, China’s Ministry of Commerce issued the Rules on Unjustified Extra-Territorial Application of Foreign Legislation and Other Measures (《阻断外国法律与措施不当域外适用办法》) (official translation here), taking effect immediately.
There have been arguments that these Rules are designed solely to limit the application of secondary sanctions on Chinese firms, and