This past week, CTM covered the following issues.

China has overhauled its outbound investment regime to enhance national security oversight and arm itself with stronger retaliatory legal tools. The update also creates an explicit legal nexus between cross-border investments and existing data, export control, and technology transfer rules.

The Ministry of Commerce sharpened its criticism of U.S. export controls and tariff actions that it says are disrupting global trade, and reiterated its support for companies investing abroad while tightening oversight under the new outbound investment regulation.

China's new rules governing the registration of foreign food manufacturers have taken effect, reflecting a regulatory overhaul that replaces a five-year-old framework with a dynamic, risk-based vetting system designed to streamline access for countries maintaining food safety cooperation with Beijing.

One year after Beijing implemented export control measures on some critical rare earth elements and derivative products, the global trade landscape reflects a complex dynamic of sharp disruption followed by rapid adaptation.

The U.S. Trade Representative's Office (USTR) set tariff rates in its Section 301 investigation of whether 60 economies prohibit imports made with forced labor. China and Hong Kong were hit with 12.5% tariffs, while Taiwan got 10%. USTR will now receive comments and hold a hearing on these proposed rates before going forward with implementation.

USTR also published a request for comments on the proposed U.S.-China Board of Trade, which has been talked about for several months and was agreed upon by Presidents Trump and Xi during their recent meeting in China. 

A WTO panel has been composed to hear China's complaint concerning "certain measures maintained by India that affect trade in the automotive and renewable energy technology sectors."

The European Commission announced that it had opened an in-depth Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) investigation to assess the proposed acquisition by JD.com, Inc. of German firm CECONOMY AG. 

As part of a broader strategy related to developing critical mineral resources, the Australian government has forced several Chinese investors out of a rare earth mining project, and at the same time is pushing ahead with similar projects financed by Western-allied governments.

Earlier this year, Australia initiated a safeguards investigation on fabricated structural steel, with Chinese products as one of the main sources of imports.

New Zealand has begun a safeguards investigation of certain aluminum extrusion products. The investigation will examine global imports, but is likely to focus heavily on imports from China.

Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi traveled to Canada to meet with Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand.