In recent years, China has repeatedly tightened controls on rare earth exports and related processing technologies. These moves—ranging from export licensing requirements to restrictions on overseas cooperation and end-use limitations—send a clear and consistent message to global markets: critical resources are no longer treated as ordinary commodities; they are strategic
A Practical Timeline for U.S. Importers One of the biggest misconceptions U.S. importers have this year is this: Most shipping problems are not caused by price — they are caused by timing. For the same shipment, choosing the wrong booking window can mean: Higher costs Unstable schedules Delays that disrupt
As 2025 draws to an end, U.S.–China trade relations remain one of the most consequential—and complex—forces shaping global commerce. This year did not bring a full reset, but it did offer clearer signals about how the two economies intend to coexist: less illusion of decoupling, more reality of managed competition.
The Chinese yuan (RMB) has continued its upward trend against the U.S. dollar, breaking below the 7.0 level, a key psychological threshold closely watched by global markets. While exchange rate movements may seem abstract, for companies trading with China, currency shifts directly affect pricing, margins, sourcing decisions, and logistics strategies.
What Happened China’s Ministry of Commerce announced that, starting December 23, 2025, it will impose temporary countervailing duties — collected as security deposits at customs — on certain dairy products imported from the European Union. The duties range from 21.9% to 42.7% depending on the company and cooperation in the
A recent report released by the French Parliament has raised a serious warning for France and the European Union: import regulation is no longer keeping pace with reality. According to the report, enforcement on imported goods has become largely ineffective, even as the number of small, low-value cross-border parcels has
Finding a trustworthy supplier in China is one of the most important steps for any importer. Whether you’re sourcing kitchenware, furniture, electronics, toys, or raw materials, choosing the wrong supplier can lead to delayed shipments, product defects, refund disputes, or even fraud. The good news: with the right process, you
This week’s big news: the U.S. government reportedly approved exports of NVIDIA’s cutting-edge H200 AI chips to China — with a catch: 25% of the revenue from those sales goes to the U.S. Treasury. It’s a bold move, and if it all goes ahead, it could reshape more than just
