Japan appears to have won the latest World Trade Organization (WTO) battle over South Korea's post-Fukushima disaster food import ban and restrictions, but the trade spat between the East Asian giants looks set to continue.
Getting buy-in from freight-forwarders, ports and shipping firms is crucial to maximise the food industry potential for blockchain to fight counterfeit goods, according to one start-up, which has formed a consortium to boost use of the technology.
Global manufacturers of speciality infant formulas have received a major boost from the Chinese government, which has done away completely with the 20% import duty.
Supplement and food firms operating in China’s booming cross border e-commerce market have been buoyed by a year-long extension of the existing trade laws, which were due to be replaced on January 1.
China could set up a dedicated bureau for e-commerce as online sales continue to rise and on the back of widespread regulatory uncertainty that has affected many international supplement firms using cross-border channels.
The New Zealand government is committed to helping natural products and supplements firms meet their export potential by removing barriers to innovation, according to the country’s environment minister.
China’s Commerce Ministry appears to have halted plans for more stringent cross border e-commerce rules, meaning many goods will still be regarded as personal trade, rather than for commercial distribution.
China may have opened up its economy even more in the last several years but it's not as if the floodgates are wide apart. Much of this "openness" is actually born out of necessity rather than a love of equity. It's foreign trade policies...
