The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned United Arab Emirates-based Indian national Jugwinder Singh Brar for owning multiple shipping companies that operate a fleet of vessels helping Iran move sanctioned goods. OFAC designated his UAE-based companies Prime Tankers LLC and Glory International FZ-LLC, along with India-based companies Global Tankers Private Limited and B and P Solutions Private Limited, and more than 30 vessels with ties to the companies or Brar.

President Donald Trump this week ordered his administration to reduce regulatory restrictions around sales of weapons and other military items to U.S. partners, saying he wants to speed up foreign military sales and make the process more “transparent.”

House Select Committee on China ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., and 10 other committee Democrats urged the Commerce Department April 9 to reconsider its plans to pull back from traditional export control dialogues with allies, including the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC).

Landon Heid, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be assistant secretary of commerce for export administration (see 2502120020), said April 10 that he wants the Bureau of Industry and Security to wage a “continuous battle every single day” to prevent China from obtaining restricted U.S. technology.

EU member states this week voted in favor of the European Commission's proposal to impose counter-tariffs in response to recent U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum.

China raised the tariff rate on U.S.-origin goods, from 34% to 84%, in response to President Donald Trump's April 8 executive order raising reciprocal rates by 50% (see 2504080079), the Office of the Tariff Commission of the State Council announced April 9. The new tariffs will take effect at 12:01 a.m. April 10, the commission said, according to an unofficial translation.

China’s State Council this week released a white paper on economic and trade relations with the U.S., criticizing the U.S. government’s imposition of tariffs and export controls and saying that the two sides should strive toward “mutually beneficial cooperation.” The white paper seeks to “clarify the facts about China-US economic and trade relations and illustrate China's policy stance on relevant issues,” it says, according to an unofficial translation.

The U.K. recently fined three companies more than $4.7 million combined for breaching the country’s export controls on military goods, the country announced April 9.

Thomas DiNanno, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be undersecretary of state for arms control and international security (see 2502120058), said April 9 that speeding up foreign military sales (FMS) will be a priority for him if he’s confirmed by the Senate.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 18-4 April 9 to approve the nomination of former Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., to be U.S. ambassador to China. The nomination now heads to the full Senate for consideration. Perdue testified before the committee April 3 that he would try to “increase the dialogue pace” on U.S.-China trade, including on agricultural products (see 2504030045).