China will take “reciprocal measures” in response to the U.S. imposition of sanctions against Chinese officials and a security agency involved in human rights violations in the Xinjiang region (see 2007090024). The U.S. sanctions are a “serious interference” in Chinese internal affairs, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a July 10 press conference, adding that the measures will cause “grave harm” to U.S.-China relations. China will impose similar measures against U.S agencies and people “with egregious practices on Xinjiang-related issues,” the spokesperson said. “The Chinese side will firmly fight back if the U.S. obstinately pursues such agenda.”
Companies affected by the Bureau of Industry and Security's recent rule on military-related exports (see 2004270027) were frustrated by the lack of a comment period before the rule was finalized and BIS’s decision not to postpone the effective date, industry officials said in interviews. Some officials said they were disappointed the new requirements were not first issued as a proposed rule, adding that smaller businesses with fewer compliance department employees have struggled to adjust.
Switzerland announced 11 new designations against government officials in Venezuela, according to an unofficial translation of a July 7 notice. The sanctions target: Jose Adelino Ornelas Ferreira, Gladys del Valle Requena, Tania Valentina Diaz Gonzalez, Elvis Eduardo Hidrobo Amoroso, Juan Jose Mendoza Jover, Jorge Elieser Marquez Monsalve, Farik Karin Mora Salcedo, Dinorah Yoselin Bustamante Puerta, Luis Eduardo Parra Rivero, Franklyn Leonardo Duarte and Jose Gregorio Noriega Figueroa.
Russia will retaliate after the United Kingdom sanctioned 25 Russian nationals earlier this week (see 2007060025), Reuters reported July 7. A Kremlin spokesperson said it “can only regret such unfriendly steps” by the U.K., and added that “some kind of retaliatory response will apply to the extent that it suits the interests of the Russian Federation,” Reuters reported.
The U.S. sanctioned a Chinese security agency and four officials for human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region. The sanctions, announced July 9 by the Treasury and State departments, came about a month after President Donald Trump signed into law a bill that authorized sanctions on Chinese officials for human rights violations against the country’s Uighur population (see 2006170064).
Indonesia introduced a new regulation to improve the “effectiveness” of customs supervision of imports, the country’s trade ministry said in a July 7 notice, according to an unofficial translation. The measure, which takes effect Aug. 25, revokes previous self-declaration requirements and introduces new data reporting requirements, the notice said, including information on the type of good being imported and its quantity or volume. The measure will help customs officials “tighten supervision of imported goods,” an Indonesian customs official said, according to the notice. Importers who violate the requirements will be subject to sanctions, the notice said.
The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation renewed five designations under its terrorism sanctions, a July 7 notice said. OFSI renewed sanctions for Qasem Soleimani, Hamed Abdollahi, Manssor Arbabsiar, Ali Gholam Shakuri and Abdul Reza Shahlai. The renewals took effect July 6.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls July 7 published documents related to the May 14 Defense Trade Advisory Group plenary meeting. The documents include meeting minutes, presentations, compliance guidelines for defense exports and information about foreign licensing reviews.
The upcoming U.S. presidential election and the increasing government focus on China will likely “exacerbate risk” for companies with supply chains in China’s Xinjiang region, law firm Covington said. The region has come under scrutiny for human rights abuses and has been a recent focal point of U.S. sanctions.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control fined Amazon more than $130,000 for violating several U.S. sanctions programs and failing to follow reporting requirements for hundreds of transactions. Amazon processed online orders sent to a range of sanctioned countries in the Middle East and Asia and did not follow the agency’s reporting requirements for more than 300 transactions conducted under a Crimea general license, OFAC said in a July 8 notice. OFAC said the violations were caused by “deficiencies” in Amazon's sanctions screening program.