The Treasury and State departments on July 29 sanctioned four people and 10 entities for contributing to the conflict in Syria and for supporting the Syria regime through the construction of luxury real estate. The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned a Syrian businessman and nine entities, while State designated four people and one entity.
The State Department on July 28 designated Luis Alfredo Motta Dominguez, Venezuela’s former electric power minister, and Eustiquio Jose Lugo Gomez, a former Venezuela official in charge of finance, investment and strategic alliances. The two officials were sanctioned for accepting bribes and kickbacks in exchange for awarding contracts to Corpoelec, Venezuela’s state-owned electricity company. The State Department also designated members of each official’s immediate family.
The European Union imposed a range of restrictions against China for its actions in Hong Kong (see 2007130042), including export controls on “sensitive” equipment and technologies for end-use in Hong Kong, the EU said July 28. The EU will also not begin “any new negotiations” with Hong Kong and will consider more measures before year-end.
The U.S. should impose stricter export controls on advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment to prevent China from indigenizing semiconductor technologies, technology policy experts said. If the U.S. and allies successfully block China from importing and developing specialized software and advanced chips, they should then impose end-use and end-user controls to allow shipments only for civilian uses in China, the experts said.
Laura Lane, UPS's president of global public affairs, has been promoted to chief corporate affairs and communications officer, the company announced July 28. She will now report directly to CEO Carol Tome, and will oversee public relations, employee communications and the UPS foundation, in addition to public policy and government affairs. Her work background includes serving as a trade negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative during the negotiation of China’s entry to the World Trade Organization.
China’s Ministry of Commerce criticized a U.S. decision on July 22 to add 11 Chinese entities to its Entity List (see 2007200026), calling it another case of “abused export controls,” a July 28 notice said, according to an unofficial translation. The sanctions are related to human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region. China said the move will cause “serious damage” to trade. “This is not good for China, not good for the United States, and not good for the whole world,” the ministry said. “China urges the U.S. to immediately stop its wrongdoing and will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.”
The State Department approved a potential military sale to the Netherlands worth about $39 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said July 27. The sale includes 16 “AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles” and related equipment. The principal contractor is Raytheon Missiles and Defense.
A national law firm and a Washington, D.C., legal staffing company will pay $56,500 after the Justice Department said they misinterpreted citizenship requirements in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The firm, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, and the staffing company, Law Resources Inc., excluded dual citizens and “work-authorized non-U.S. citizens” when hiring temporary employees, screening them out in the recruiting process, the Justice Department said July 23. The firm and company violated the Immigration and Nationality Act's anti-discrimination provision.
The European Union during virtual trade talks July 28 asked China for more market access for exporters and expressed concerns about its “unjustified” inspections of EU agricultural goods. China recently introduced “new restrictions” on agricultural goods due to concerns about virus contamination (see 2006300012) that have led to more customs inspections, “controls and requests for certificates on EU exports of agricultural products,” the European Commission said July 28. The EU said its beef and poultry exporters are seeing delays and are “awaiting export authorisation.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration is proposing to require reports of thefts or significant losses of controlled substances be submitted electronically. The agency would require electronic submission of DEA Form 106 by importers, exporters and suppliers within 15 days of the theft or loss, and would also add new requirements for the form to be submitted accurately. DEA is accepting comments on the proposal beginning on the proposed rule’s scheduled publication date, July 29, until Sept. 28.