India revised its export policies for certain personal protective equipment, the country’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said Aug. 25. The change removes restrictions on exports of medical coveralls and 2/3 ply surgical masks, and sets monthly export quotes for medical goggles and “N-95/FFP2” masks. The monthly export quota is 2 million (20 lakh) for medical goggles and 5 million (50 lakh) for the restricted masks. Nitrite/NBR gloves continue to be prohibited for export, the notice said.

China will allow imports of avocados from the Dominican Republic, the country’s General Administration of Customs said in an Aug. 26 notice, according to an unofficial translation. The imports are subject to phytosanitary and quarantine requirements, described in the notice, it said.

China’s Foreign Ministry termed “unjustified” the U.S. decision to add 24 Chinese companies to the Commerce Department’s Entity List (see 2008260038), saying it interferes in Chinese internal affairs. “We urge the U.S. to correct its mistake and immediately stop meddling in China's internal affairs,” a ministry spokesperson said during an Aug 27 news conference. “China will take firm measures to safeguard Chinese businesses and citizens' lawful interests.”

The State Department approved potential military sales to the United Kingdom and Japan worth a combined $109 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Aug. 26. Under the proposed sales, the U.K. would get 395 “AGM-114R2 Hellfire missiles” worth about $46 million. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor. The sale to Japan includes 32 “AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles” at an estimated $63 million. Raytheon Missile Systems is the prime contractor.

The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls will hold a webinar Sept. 9 on using the Defense Export Control Compliance System licensing application, DDTC said in an Aug. 27 notice, which includes login information. The webinar will outline best practices and tips for accessing licenses and include a question-and-answer session at the end. The DDTC previously released a recording of its February webinar (see 2002280028).

The Department of Justice unsealed two indictments charging four U.S. citizens and a Chinese citizen with conspiring to buy oil from Iran to be sold to a Chinese refinery. The indictments, outlined in court records filed Aug. 25, charge all five with violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and trying to evade U.S. sanctions against Iran. Justice announced the charges in February (see 2002120031).

Two House members said there is bipartisan support for increased sanctions against Belarus, urging the U.S. to quickly designate Belarusian officials for the unfair elections held earlier this month. But despite the consensus, the U.S. has been too slow to impose designations, experts said. “They're doing too little, and they're moving too slowly,” Michael Carpenter, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and a former foreign policy adviser to Vice President Joe Biden, said during an Aug. 27 event hosted by the think tank. “The West needs to demonstrate to all those mid-ranking people in the [government] that if you engage in repression, you're going to be sanctioned.”

U.S. companies operating in Hong Kong could face a range of complications due to the region’s new national security law, said Dustin Daugherty, head of North American business development with Dezan Shira & Associates. Although Daugherty sees reasons to be optimistic about Hong Kong’s business environment, he said the region seems to be losing many of its trade advantages.

European Union Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan, who recently lauded the first tariff reduction between the U.S. and the EU in more than 20 years, resigned Aug. 26, British outlets reported. Hogan submitted his resignation after his attendance on Aug. 19 at an 80-person party in Ireland was revealed. COVID-19 restrictions in Ireland only permitted six people at indoor events, though the limit had changed just the day before, decreasing the allowed gathering size from 50.

Moldova's Tudor Ulianovschi told the Washington International Trade Association that the fact that he's coming from a neutral country is an advantage in his candidacy for director-general of the World Trade Organization. Ulianovschi, who was speaking Aug. 26 on a WITA webinar, served as foreign minister of Moldova in 2018 and 2019, and during that time Moldova became a member of the WTO government procurement agreement.