China began an antidumping investigation into imports of U.S. polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products, China's Ministry of Commerce said in a Sept. 25 notice, according to an unofficial translation. China said it expects to complete the investigation before Sept. 25, 2021, but may extend the review another six months if there are “special circumstances.”

The State Department approved potential military sales to the United Kingdom and the Netherlands worth more than $640 million combined, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Sept. 24. Under the proposed sales, the U.K. would get “C-17 aircraft Contractor Logistics Support” and related equipment worth about $400 million. The prime contractor is Boeing. The sale to the Netherlands includes 34 “Patriot Advanced Capability‑3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles” and related equipment for about $240 million. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor.

The State Department on Sept. 25 released its Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List, which identifies entities subject to restrictions on lodging-related transactions under the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (see 2009230029). The list, which includes more than 400 properties, takes effect Sept. 28.

Three Democratic senators introduced a bill that would impose more restrictions on arms sales to protect against human rights violations. The bill -- introduced Sept. 24 by New Jersey's Bob Menendez, Vermont's Patrick Leahy and Virginia's Tim Kaine -- would amend the Arms Export Control Act by imposing more conditions before certain arms sales can be completed.

The U.S. sanctioned two Iranian officials and four entities for human rights violations, the State Department said Sept. 24. The designations target Iranian Judges Seyyed Mahmoud Sadati and Mohammad Soltani for sentencing people on “dubious charges” related to freedom of speech. Also designated are the Shiraz Revolutionary Court's Branch 1 and the Adel Abad, Orumiyeh and Vakilabad prisons.

The United Kingdom is working with the European Union, the U.S. and Canada to impose sanctions on those responsible for the rigged elections in Belarus (see 2001150022), U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Sept. 24. Raab said he has directed the U.K.’s sanctions team to prepare Magnitsky human rights sanctions and will coordinate listings with the U.S. and Canada. If Belarusian officials do not “respond” to the sanctions, Raab said the U.K. will consider “further actions with our international partners.”

The State Department will temporarily remove export restrictions on nonlethal defense goods and services to Cyprus, the agency said in a temporary final rule released Sept. 25. The move will suspend restrictions for one year on exports, reexports, retransfers and temporary imports of certain defense goods if the end user is the Cyprus government, a “request” is made by or on behalf of the Cyprus government and no “credible” human rights concerns are involved with the shipment. The State Department said it will suspend the restrictions, which includes amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, because Cyprus is cooperating with the U.S. on anti-money laundering revisions and has taken steps to deny Russian military vessels access to ports for servicing. The restrictions will be lifted Oct. 1 and will expire Sept. 30, 2021, unless extended.

The U.S. needs to increase engagement with China to convince it to limit restrictions on foreign companies and to end unfair government subsidies, former U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said. Although Froman said he is “hopeful” the U.S. can secure these concessions through more trade negotiations, he also said the U.S. may need to focus more on its own industrial policy to remain technologically competitive with China.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Sept. 25 issued guidance on sanctions against Hong Kong officials and renewed a general license authorizing certain transactions with the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (see 2007310028).

The Canada government issued the following trade-related notices as of Sept. 23 (some may also be given separate headlines):