China is lowering transportation costs for importers and exporters in an effort to urge companies to resume production, according to a March 19 government notice and a March 16 report from Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency. China said it will waive “port construction fees” levied on traders from March 1 through June 30 and will offer refunds to companies that have already paid fees. In addition, certain companies will “see their oil pollution damage compensation halved” during that period.

Indonesia plans to introduce a series of import and tax measures to help companies impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a March 19 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The measures, which take effect April 1, will allow certain companies to postpone payments of import duties for six months and will exempt all import duties for six months for 19 “selected” manufacturing sectors, the report said. Indonesia will also streamline its value-added tax refund procedure for exports and provide “expedited” export-import processing for traders “deemed to be in good standing.” The country also plans to relax import licensing rules for steel and certain food items, including sugar, flour and salt.

Many Chinese leather tanneries have applied for and received tariff exemptions from China’s retaliatory tariff on U.S. goods, according to a March 17 emailed alert from the Leather and Hide Council of America. The council also said China is granting tariff exemptions for products beyond what was included in the original announcement that contained nearly 700 U.S. goods (see 2002180039). The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service issued a March report on China’s step-by-step tariff exclusion guide, providing a translation of the guide to help “familiarize” the U.S. food and agricultural industry with the process. The report contains details on how Chinese companies apply for exclusions, how they document their record of transactions, and what information they must submit to the Chinese authorities. The exclusion process opened March 2.

Vietnam’s General Department of Taxation will extend deadlines for paying taxes and exempt penalties for late payments for companies impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, who have “suffered great losses,” according to a March 17 report from CustomsNews, the mouthpiece for Vietnam Customs. Companies that need further extensions due to special circumstances -- including “unexpected accidents,” which covers suffering “dangerous diseases” -- can apply for longer extensions, the report said.

Vietnam will review its agricultural production and focus on producing “key” goods as the coronavirus pandemic slashes its agricultural trade, according to a March 16 report from CustomsNews, the mouthpiece for Vietnam Customs. The virus has had a “direct impact” on the country’s agricultural sector, reducing its exports by nearly 3% and imports by nearly 7% compared with the same period last year, the report said. To mitigate the impact, the country will try to focus on agricultural production for “key export products with favorable market signals,” such as rice, fruit trees, dragon fruit, durian and passion fruit. The country also hopes to diversify its export markets and “gradually” reduce dependence on any single market.

Shanghai recently introduced measures to improve its trade and customs environment, including an expedited two-step customs declaration for import and a “wider application” of “pre-arrival declaration” for export items at the city’s ports, according to a March 17 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The two-step declaration, which has been adopted by Chinese customs authorities in other regions (see 1910230051 and 1908160016), allows companies to make full declarations after picking up the imported goods. Under the wider application for pre-arrival declarations, companies can make customs declarations up to three days before the goods arrive at the customs supervision site, the report said, on the condition that the goods are “ready,” the container is loaded and all electronic data has been submitted to customs. Shanghai will also introduce a trial period for “ship-side delivery of export items” and “ship-side pick-up of imported goods” to speed up customs clearance, the HKTDC said.

As the coronavirus outbreak continues, Chinese authorities have approached companies committing trade violations with more leniency than in the past, according to a March 17 report from Reuters. China has rolled out several measures to forgive violations, including a reduction of penalties for delayed import declarations (see 2003120019), and has relaxed other regulations, such as waiving import duties on emergency vehicles and medical supplies (see 2002140028). Reuters said the relaxed penalties have also applied to forged value-added tax invoices, where China has only issued warnings instead of more severe punishments. China has told its authorities to avoid detaining or arresting business operators who are “not dangerous to society and who show remorse after giving themselves up,” Reuters said.

Australia announced a series of measures to support companies impacted by the coronavirus, including delays of penalties and quicker access to refunds of Goods and Services Taxes, according to a March 12 notice. Australia will allow companies to opt in to a monthly GST reporting cycle instead of a quarterly cycle, which will help them receive refunds faster, the notice said. Australia will also remit any interest and penalties relating to tax liabilities, incurred on or after Jan. 23. Australia also said it will be providing support to companies, who should contact the government to “discuss relief options.” The Australian Taxation Office “will work shoulder-to-shoulder with businesses to assist them through this difficult period and do what we can to ease the pressure.”

Hong Kong importers are looking to buy ox gallstones, a cattle byproduct, potentially creating “huge export potential” for U.S. beef exporters, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service report released March 12. Ox gallstones are in high demand due to low domestic supply, the report said, and are used in Chinese herbal medicine and sell for high prices. Ox gallstones are not regarded as food and are not subject to Hong Kong regulations covering food imports, the report said.

India issued several changes to tax rates on the supply of goods and services, impacting cell phones, footwear, textiles, fertilizers, matches, certain services and more, India’s Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs said March 15. The changes, made during a March 14 Goods and Services Tax Council meeting and set to take effect April 1, include raises to the GST rate on mobile phones and “specified parts” from 12% to 18%. India also increased the GST rate on matches to 12%, instead of a rate of 5% on handmade matches and 18% on other matches. The changes also include “measures for trade facilitation,” include interest on delays in payment of GST, and applications for “revocation of cancellation” of registrations.