Are the broadening sanctions on Russia finally hurting their ability to trade? Since the U.S. Expanded the criteria for imposing sanctions in June,... Several big Russian commodities exporters have complained that trading with China is now a gamble due to the increased freezing or delaying of direct payments made in Yuan. Take a look at this report for more.

Russia-Ukraine war: Trade challenges for Moscow from sanctions

The European Union started an 18-month process on Monday that could lead to the suspension of Cambodia's duty-free trade access over its record on human rights and democracy.

The European Commission, which coordinates trade policy for the 28-member EU, said that its decision to start the process would be published in the EU official journal on February 12, triggering a countdown that could run until August 2020.

Cambodia benefits from the EU's "Everything but Arms" (EBA) trade regime, which allows the world's poorest countries to sell any goods, except weapons, tariff-free into the bloc.

The EU warned Cambodia last July that it could lose this special status after elections maintained Prime Minister Hun Sen in power and gave his party all parliamentary seats. He has led the country since 1985.

Cambodia said the move was unfortunate but expected: "I had little doubt about it. And I regret the decision," said a foreign ministry spokesman.

The EU is Cambodia's largest trading partner, accounting for 45 per cent of its exports in 2018. Clothing factories there employ around 700,000 workers, and garments are a large share of exports to the bloc worth some 4.9 billion euros.

The European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, representing European businesses, said the move was counterproductive to the aim of such trade programmes to eradicate poverty in vulnerable developing countries, and dialogue was the most effective tool.

Cambodia is the second largest user of EBA preferences, behind only Bangladesh. Businesses and unions there last month urged the European Union not to withdraw the preferences, saying such a decision would harm millions of workers and their families.

The European Commission said that its goal was to ensure Cambodia improved the situation for its people, with withdrawal of preferences only a last resort.

"It should be clear that today's move is neither a final decision nor the end of the process. But the clock is now officially ticking and we need to see real action soon," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said in a statement.

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said the EU recognised Cambodian authorities had taken positive steps in recent months, such as releasing political figures and addressing some restrictions on civil society and trade union activities.

"However, without more conclusive action from the government, the situation on the ground calls Cambodia's participation in the EBA scheme into question," she said.

The process consists of six months of monitoring and talks with the Cambodian authorities followed by another half-year period for the Commission to produce a report and take a decision on whether or not to withdraw the trade preferences.

Any withdrawal would take effect after a further six months.

The European Union started an 18-month process on Monday that could lead to the suspension of Cambodia's duty-free trade access over its record on human rights and democracy.

The European Union started an 18-month process on Monday that could lead to the suspension of Cambodia's duty-free trade access over its record on human rights and democracy. The European Commission, which coordinates trade policy for the 28-member EU, said that its decision to start the process would be published in the EU official journal on February 12, triggering a countdown that could run until August 2020. Cambodia benefits from the EU's "Everything but Arms" (EBA) trade regime, which allows the world's poorest countries to sell any goods, except weapons, tariff-free into the bloc. The EU warned Cambodia last July that it could lose this special status after elections maintained Prime Minister Hun Sen in power and gave his party all parliamentary seats. He has led the country since 1985. Cambodia said the move was unfortunate but expected: "I had little doubt about it. And I regret the decision," said a foreign ministry spokesman. The EU is Cambodia's largest trading partner, accounting for 45 per cent of its exports in 2018. Clothing factories there employ around 700,000 workers, and garments are a large share of exports to the bloc worth some 4.9 billion euros. The European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, representing European businesses, said the move was counterproductive to the aim of such trade programmes to eradicate poverty in vulnerable developing countries, and dialogue was the most effective tool. Cambodia is the second largest user of EBA preferences, behind only Bangladesh. Businesses and unions there last month urged the European Union not to withdraw the preferences, saying such a decision would harm millions of workers and their families. The European Commission said that its goal was to ensure Cambodia improved the situation for its people, with withdrawal of preferences only a last resort. "It should be clear that today's move is neither a final decision nor the end of the process. But the clock is now officially ticking and we need to see real action soon," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said in a statement. EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said the EU recognised Cambodian authorities had taken positive steps in recent months, such as releasing political figures and addressing some restrictions on civil society and trade union activities. "However, without more conclusive action from the government, the situation on the ground calls Cambodia's participation in the EBA scheme into question," she said. The process consists of six months of monitoring and talks with the Cambodian authorities followed by another half-year period for the Commission to produce a report and take a decision on whether or not to withdraw the trade preferences. Any withdrawal would take effect after a further six months.

EU begins process to hit Cambodia with trade sanctions

The European Union is sending a fact-finding mission to assess whether to impose trade sanctions on Myanmar over human rights abuses and has told Cambodia it will lose its preferential trade status, EU trade chief Cecilia Malmstrom said on Friday.

Malmstrom said the mission to Myanmar was to look into a potential withdrawal of its "Everything but Arms" (EBA) status, which allows the world's poorest countries to sell any goods tariff-free into the EU, except weapons.

"We cannot exclude this outcome. The reason is the blatant violation of human rights in Myanmar," she told a news conference after a meeting of trade ministers in Innsbruck, Austria.

The move confirms news Reuters reported on Wednesday that the European Union was considering sanctioning Myanmar over the Rohingya crisis.

A recent UN report accused Myanmar's military of gang rapes and mass killings with "genocidal intent" in Rakhine state and called for its commander-in-chief and five generals to be prosecuted under international law.

Myanmar has denied most of the allegations in the report, blaming Rohingya "terrorists" for most accounts of atrocities.

On Cambodia, the EU said in July that it risked losing its preferential trade status after elections decried by the West as neither free nor fair returned the country's strongman to power after 30 years in office.

Malmstrom said an EU mission had already been to Cambodia. "I have notified Cambodia today that we will launch the procedure for withdrawal of EBA. Without clear and demonstrable improvements this will lead to suspension of trade preferences," she said.

The European Union is sending a fact-finding mission to assess whether to impose trade sanctions on Myanmar over human rights abuses and has told Cambodia it will lose its preferential trade status, EU trade chief Cecilia Malmstrom said on Friday.

The European Union is sending a fact-finding mission to assess whether to impose trade sanctions on Myanmar over human rights abuses and has told Cambodia it will lose its preferential trade status, EU trade chief Cecilia Malmstrom said on Friday. Malmstrom said the mission to Myanmar was to look into a potential withdrawal of its "Everything but Arms" (EBA) status, which allows the world's poorest countries to sell any goods tariff-free into the EU, except weapons. "We cannot exclude this outcome. The reason is the blatant violation of human rights in Myanmar," she told a news conference after a meeting of trade ministers in Innsbruck, Austria. The move confirms news Reuters reported on Wednesday that the European Union was considering sanctioning Myanmar over the Rohingya crisis. A recent UN report accused Myanmar's military of gang rapes and mass killings with "genocidal intent" in Rakhine state and called for its commander-in-chief and five generals to be prosecuted under international law. Myanmar has denied most of the allegations in the report, blaming Rohingya "terrorists" for most accounts of atrocities. On Cambodia, the EU said in July that it risked losing its preferential trade status after elections decried by the West as neither free nor fair returned the country's strongman to power after 30 years in office. Malmstrom said an EU mission had already been to Cambodia. "I have notified Cambodia today that we will launch the procedure for withdrawal of EBA. Without clear and demonstrable improvements this will lead to suspension of trade preferences," she said.

EU sends fact-finding mission to Myanmar to consider trade sanctions

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is moving to finalize trade sanctions against China even as a US delegation is set to travel to Beijing for talks to resolve the dispute.

The White House said the planned sanctions announced in March, largely focused on China's theft of American intellectual property, were still in the works and details would be announced in the coming month.

It was yet another apparent change of course for Trump, who veers from harsh threats to promises of compromise and back again on trade and other more sensitive issues.

Despite announcing a truce in the trade hostilities less than 10 days ago, after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said threatened tariffs on Chinese goods were "on hold," the White House signaled it was ready to pull the trigger on a broad array of penalties.

"From now on, we expect trading relationships to be fair and to be reciprocal," in a statement, which spelled out a list of long-standing US trade grievances," Trump said in a statement.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry said the move breached the recent consensus reached between Washington and Beijing.

"Whatever measures the United States takes, China has the confidence, capability and experience to defend the interests of Chinese people and the core interests of the country," the ministry said in a statement published by official new agency Xinhua.

The US trade sanctions announced in March -- including restrictions on Chinese investment, export controls and 25 percent tariffs on as much as $50 billion in Chinese tech goods -- remain under development, the White House said.

The final list of Chinese imports covered by the tariffs list will be announced June 15, and imposed shortly thereafter, while the proposed investment restrictions and enhanced export controls will be announced by June 30, according to the statement.

Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on an additional $100 billion in Chinese goods as well if Beijing retaliates.

'Difficult and unfair'

The White House said "the United States will continue efforts to protect domestic technology and intellectual property, stop noneconomic transfers of industrially significant technology and intellectual property to China, and enhance access to the Chinese market."

In addition, as part of the ongoing talks "the United States will request that China remove all of its many trade barriers, including non-monetary trade barriers, which make it both difficult and unfair to do business there."

The announcement, which offered little new information, comes as Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross prepares to travel to Beijing this week for another round of talks aimed at resolving the conflict, which includes a threat of matching sanctions from China on US goods.

The White House issued a second statement listing the details of many complaints against China, including dumping of goods into the US market at below market value, high tariffs and overcapacity -- likely referring to steel and aluminum, which are subject to another set of harsh US tariffs.

In addition to the bilateral talks with Beijing, the US also will continue to pursue the complaints filed in the World Trade Organization as well as the cases against individual products.

The National Retail Federation on Tuesday said it was "disappointed" with the new White House communications, saying the tariffs would raise prices, kill jobs and spur costly retaliation.

"China's trade practices raise serious concerns but job-killing tariffs aren't the answer," the statement said.

"The lack of clarity surrounding the administration’s plans is creating significant uncertainty for American businesses, disrupting supply chains and threatening to undermine the economic gains we’ve seen over the past year.

The NRF cited a study which estimated the tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese imports could shave $3 billion off of US GDP and eliminate 134,000 jobs.

The White House announcement came on the heels of stiff criticism from lawmakers of the White House's negotiating tactics and willingness to soften tough penalties in some cases with no benefit to the US.

Trump has faced a backlash among lawmakers this month after announcing he would soften US sanctions on the Chinese telecoms equipment maker ZTE, which neared collapse due to an April ban on purchasing crucial US components.

Lawmakers in both parties also criticized the president, saying this month's truce surrendered Washington's leverage without obtaining significant concessions from Beijing.

'China's trade practices raise serious concerns but job-killing tariffs aren't the answer,' the statement said

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is moving to finalize trade sanctions against China even as a US delegation is set to travel to Beijing for talks to resolve the dispute. The White House said the planned sanctions announced in March, largely focused on China's theft of American intellectual property, were still in the works and details would be announced in the coming month. It was yet another apparent change of course for Trump, who veers from harsh threats to promises of compromise and back again on trade and other more sensitive issues. Despite announcing a truce in the trade hostilities less than 10 days ago, after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said threatened tariffs on Chinese goods were "on hold," the White House signaled it was ready to pull the trigger on a broad array of penalties. "From now on, we expect trading relationships to be fair and to be reciprocal," in a statement, which spelled out a list of long-standing US trade grievances," Trump said in a statement. The Chinese Commerce Ministry said the move breached the recent consensus reached between Washington and Beijing. "Whatever measures the United States takes, China has the confidence, capability and experience to defend the interests of Chinese people and the core interests of the country," the ministry said in a statement published by official new agency Xinhua. The US trade sanctions announced in March -- including restrictions on Chinese investment, export controls and 25 percent tariffs on as much as $50 billion in Chinese tech goods -- remain under development, the White House said. The final list of Chinese imports covered by the tariffs list will be announced June 15, and imposed shortly thereafter, while the proposed investment restrictions and enhanced export controls will be announced by June 30, according to the statement. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on an additional $100 billion in Chinese goods as well if Beijing retaliates. 'Difficult and unfair' The White House said "the United States will continue efforts to protect domestic technology and intellectual property, stop noneconomic transfers of industrially significant technology and intellectual property to China, and enhance access to the Chinese market." In addition, as part of the ongoing talks "the United States will request that China remove all of its many trade barriers, including non-monetary trade barriers, which make it both difficult and unfair to do business there." The announcement, which offered little new information, comes as Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross prepares to travel to Beijing this week for another round of talks aimed at resolving the conflict, which includes a threat of matching sanctions from China on US goods. The White House issued a second statement listing the details of many complaints against China, including dumping of goods into the US market at below market value, high tariffs and overcapacity -- likely referring to steel and aluminum, which are subject to another set of harsh US tariffs. In addition to the bilateral talks with Beijing, the US also will continue to pursue the complaints filed in the World Trade Organization as well as the cases against individual products. The National Retail Federation on Tuesday said it was "disappointed" with the new White House communications, saying the tariffs would raise prices, kill jobs and spur costly retaliation. "China's trade practices raise serious concerns but job-killing tariffs aren't the answer," the statement said. "The lack of clarity surrounding the administration’s plans is creating significant uncertainty for American businesses, disrupting supply chains and threatening to undermine the economic gains we’ve seen over the past year. The NRF cited a study which estimated the tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese imports could shave $3 billion off of US GDP and eliminate 134,000 jobs. The White House announcement came on the heels of stiff criticism from lawmakers of the White House's negotiating tactics and willingness to soften tough penalties in some cases with no benefit to the US. Trump has faced a backlash among lawmakers this month after announcing he would soften US sanctions on the Chinese telecoms equipment maker ZTE, which neared collapse due to an April ban on purchasing crucial US components. Lawmakers in both parties also criticized the president, saying this month's truce surrendered Washington's leverage without obtaining significant concessions from Beijing.

White House moves to finalize China trade sanctions

The United States said on Tuesday that it will continue pursuing action on trade with China, days after Washington and Beijing announced a tentative solution to their dispute and suggested that tensions had cooled.

By June 15, Washington will release a list of some $50 billion worth of Chinese goods that will be subject to a 25 per cent tariff, the White House said in a statement. The United States will also continue to pursue litigation against China at the World Trade Organization.

In addition, by the end of June, the United States will announce investment restrictions and "enhanced export controls" for Chinese individuals and entities "related to the acquisition of industrially significant technology," it said.

In mid-May, China agreed to increase purchases of US agriculture and energy products, and last week, the US&nbsp;Commerce Department told lawmakers it had reached a deal to put Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE Corp back in business.

While the announcements eased worries about the possibility of a trade war between world's two largest economies, US&nbsp;President Donald Trump also said last week that any deal between Washington and Beijing would need "a different structure," fueling uncertainty over the talks.

Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on up to $150 billion of Chinese goods to combat what he has labeled unfair trade practices on the part of Beijing. Meanwhile, China has warned of equal retaliation, including duties on some of its most significant US&nbsp;imports, like aircraft, soybeans and vehicles.

Europe could end up rueing a potential new deal between China and the United States after the two sides stepped back from a trade war, France's Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire warned Sunday.

"The United States and China risk entering an agreement at the expense of Europe if Europe is not capable of showing a firm hand," Le Maire told CNEWS television.

"The United States wants to make Europe and European countries pay for China's bad behaviour. All of that is totally absurd and incomprehensible for allies," he said.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday a mounting trade spat between the United States and China was one of the most pressing concerns for Southeast Asian nations.

Lee flagged his concerns in remarks made as he opened a summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), for many of which the United States and China are the top two trading partners.

By June 15, Washington will release a list of some $50 billion worth of Chinese goods that will be subject to a 25 per cent tariff, the White House said in a statement

The United States said on Tuesday that it will continue pursuing action on trade with China, days after Washington and Beijing announced a tentative solution to their dispute and suggested that tensions had cooled. By June 15, Washington will release a list of some $50 billion worth of Chinese goods that will be subject to a 25 per cent tariff, the White House said in a statement. The United States will also continue to pursue litigation against China at the World Trade Organization. In addition, by the end of June, the United States will announce investment restrictions and "enhanced export controls" for Chinese individuals and entities "related to the acquisition of industrially significant technology," it said. In mid-May, China agreed to increase purchases of US agriculture and energy products, and last week, the US Commerce Department told lawmakers it had reached a deal to put Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE Corp back in business. While the announcements eased worries about the possibility of a trade war between world's two largest economies, US President Donald Trump also said last week that any deal between Washington and Beijing would need "a different structure," fueling uncertainty over the talks. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on up to $150 billion of Chinese goods to combat what he has labeled unfair trade practices on the part of Beijing. Meanwhile, China has warned of equal retaliation, including duties on some of its most significant US imports, like aircraft, soybeans and vehicles. Europe could end up rueing a potential new deal between China and the United States after the two sides stepped back from a trade war, France's Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire warned Sunday. "The United States and China risk entering an agreement at the expense of Europe if Europe is not capable of showing a firm hand," Le Maire told CNEWS television. "The United States wants to make Europe and European countries pay for China's bad behaviour. All of that is totally absurd and incomprehensible for allies," he said. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday a mounting trade spat between the United States and China was one of the most pressing concerns for Southeast Asian nations. Lee flagged his concerns in remarks made as he opened a summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), for many of which the United States and China are the top two trading partners.

US to continue trade sanctions against China: White House

US President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear accord and re-impose sanctions on Tehran threatens to derail a project to help build Afghanistan's economy, endangering a key goal of the U.S. strategy to end America's longest war.

The Indian-backed Chabahar port complex in Iran is being developed as part of a new transportation corridor for land-locked Afghanistan that could potentially open the way for millions of dollars in trade and cut its dependence on Pakistan, its sometimes-hostile neighbor.

Building Afghanistan's economy would also slash Kabul's dependence on foreign aid and put a major dent in the illicit opium trade, the Taliban's main revenue source.

But Trump's decision to re-impose sanctions on Iran and penalize financial institutions for doing business with Tehran is clouding Chabahar's viability as banks, nervous they could be hit with crippling penalties, pull back from financing.

"President Trump's decision has brought us back to the drawing board and we will have to renegotiate terms and conditions on using Chabahar," a senior Indian diplomat said. "It is a route that can change the way India-Iran-Afghanistan do business, but for now everything is in a state of uncertainty."

The White House did not respond to requests for comment.

Launched in 2016, the joint Iran-India-Afghanistan Chabahar project already was facing holdups. It has yet to see significant traffic apart from some containers of donated wheat from India, and the first shipments of Afghan dried fruit to India are not expected before July.

At least three contracts to build infrastructure at the port now have been delayed, with two Chinese companies and a Finnish group left hanging while bankers seek clarity from Washington before approving guarantees, a person close to the project said.

In addition, Afghan traders, who were hoping for an alternative to Pakistan's port of Karachi, now find themselves cut off from funding and forced to rely on the traditional hawala money transfer system, which is insufficient on its own to transform an economy. Hawala is a trust-based system commonly used in Afghanistan that involves the movement of funds between agents in different countries.

"We know our correspondent banks would not let us pay for imports coming through that port," said a senior executive at one major Afghan lender.

Chabahar is among a number of projects of transport and energy networks projects designed to boost Afghanistan's trade and lay the foundations for a mining industry capable of exploiting its billions of dollars in untapped mineral reserves.

Bypassing the border with Pakistan, which last year was closed for some 50 days over various disputes, Chabahar is seen as a way for Afghanistan to consolidate its relationships with India and other regional powers.

"The only way to get India more involved" in Afghanistan's economic development "is through Chabahar," said Barnett Rubin, an expert with New York University's Center for International Cooperation and a former adviser to the State Department and the United Nations. "Our Iran policy is headed for a train wreck with our Afghanistan policy."

Some 17 years after the US-led invasion to oust the Taliban from power, Afghanistan remains one of the world's poorest countries, highly dependent on foreign aid.

Apart from illegal opium exports estimated at some $2 billion by the International Monetary Fund, its main products are dried and fresh fruits, and carpets, none of which amount to more than a fraction of the value of the drugs trade.

Initially Afghanistan would export agricultural produce – such as pomegranates and grapes - through Chabahar, utilizing a section of a road India paid for and then an extension to the Iranian border that New Delhi built, experts said.

Eventually, those exports could expand to mineral resources, something Trump has expressed an interest in gaining for U.S. firms. For India, this would mean using a planned railroad to Chabahar to export iron ore from two tracts at the Hajigak iron mine in central Afghanistan that it won the rights to exploit, the experts said.

"The economic piece is really important to get a glimmer of hope for Afghanistan to move beyond a land-locked, poppy-based economy. We are now shooting that in the head," said Thomas Lynch, a National Defense University expert and a former U.S. Army officer who advised the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on South Asia policy.

"There is no other legitimate and reliable way to do that. You can't do it by air, you can't do it through Pakistan because they just extort for everything they do," said Lynch. "The lifeline runs through Chabahar."

In addition, by hindering the development of Chabahar, the United States will leave Afghanistan dependent on Pakistan, historically its main trade partner and outlet to the world.

That would undermine another Trump goal of pressuring Islamabad to shutter Afghan insurgent sanctuaries on its side of the border and force the militants into peace talks.

Afghan officials have lobbied hard for exemptions to the sanctions for Afghan companies operating though Chabahar without success and are waiting for clarity from Washington.

"Now the uncertainty is that we don't know what's going to happen with Chabahar," said Atiqullah Nusrat, Chief Executive of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "We haven't heard anything so we have to wait and see what happens."

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp

The Indian-backed Chabahar port complex in Iran is being developed as part of a new transportation corridor for land-locked Afghanistan that could potentially open the way for millions of dollars in trade and cut its dependence on Pakistan, its sometimes-hostile neighbor

US President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear accord and re-impose sanctions on Tehran threatens to derail a project to help build Afghanistan's economy, endangering a key goal of the U.S. strategy to end America's longest war. The Indian-backed Chabahar port complex in Iran is being developed as part of a new transportation corridor for land-locked Afghanistan that could potentially open the way for millions of dollars in trade and cut its dependence on Pakistan, its sometimes-hostile neighbor. Building Afghanistan's economy would also slash Kabul's dependence on foreign aid and put a major dent in the illicit opium trade, the Taliban's main revenue source. But Trump's decision to re-impose sanctions on Iran and penalize financial institutions for doing business with Tehran is clouding Chabahar's viability as banks, nervous they could be hit with crippling penalties, pull back from financing. "President Trump's decision has brought us back to the drawing board and we will have to renegotiate terms and conditions on using Chabahar," a senior Indian diplomat said. "It is a route that can change the way India-Iran-Afghanistan do business, but for now everything is in a state of uncertainty." The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Launched in 2016, the joint Iran-India-Afghanistan Chabahar project already was facing holdups. It has yet to see significant traffic apart from some containers of donated wheat from India, and the first shipments of Afghan dried fruit to India are not expected before July. At least three contracts to build infrastructure at the port now have been delayed, with two Chinese companies and a Finnish group left hanging while bankers seek clarity from Washington before approving guarantees, a person close to the project said. In addition, Afghan traders, who were hoping for an alternative to Pakistan's port of Karachi, now find themselves cut off from funding and forced to rely on the traditional hawala money transfer system, which is insufficient on its own to transform an economy. Hawala is a trust-based system commonly used in Afghanistan that involves the movement of funds between agents in different countries. "We know our correspondent banks would not let us pay for imports coming through that port," said a senior executive at one major Afghan lender. Chabahar is among a number of projects of transport and energy networks projects designed to boost Afghanistan's trade and lay the foundations for a mining industry capable of exploiting its billions of dollars in untapped mineral reserves. Bypassing the border with Pakistan, which last year was closed for some 50 days over various disputes, Chabahar is seen as a way for Afghanistan to consolidate its relationships with India and other regional powers. "The only way to get India more involved" in Afghanistan's economic development "is through Chabahar," said Barnett Rubin, an expert with New York University's Center for International Cooperation and a former adviser to the State Department and the United Nations. "Our Iran policy is headed for a train wreck with our Afghanistan policy." Some 17 years after the US-led invasion to oust the Taliban from power, Afghanistan remains one of the world's poorest countries, highly dependent on foreign aid. Apart from illegal opium exports estimated at some $2 billion by the International Monetary Fund, its main products are dried and fresh fruits, and carpets, none of which amount to more than a fraction of the value of the drugs trade. Initially Afghanistan would export agricultural produce – such as pomegranates and grapes - through Chabahar, utilizing a section of a road India paid for and then an extension to the Iranian border that New Delhi built, experts said. Eventually, those exports could expand to mineral resources, something Trump has expressed an interest in gaining for U.S. firms. For India, this would mean using a planned railroad to Chabahar to export iron ore from two tracts at the Hajigak iron mine in central Afghanistan that it won the rights to exploit, the experts said. "The economic piece is really important to get a glimmer of hope for Afghanistan to move beyond a land-locked, poppy-based economy. We are now shooting that in the head," said Thomas Lynch, a National Defense University expert and a former U.S. Army officer who advised the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on South Asia policy. "There is no other legitimate and reliable way to do that. You can't do it by air, you can't do it through Pakistan because they just extort for everything they do," said Lynch. "The lifeline runs through Chabahar." In addition, by hindering the development of Chabahar, the United States will leave Afghanistan dependent on Pakistan, historically its main trade partner and outlet to the world. That would undermine another Trump goal of pressuring Islamabad to shutter Afghan insurgent sanctuaries on its side of the border and force the militants into peace talks. Afghan officials have lobbied hard for exemptions to the sanctions for Afghan companies operating though Chabahar without success and are waiting for clarity from Washington. "Now the uncertainty is that we don't know what's going to happen with Chabahar," said Atiqullah Nusrat, Chief Executive of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "We haven't heard anything so we have to wait and see what happens."

US sanctions on Iran threaten vital Afghanistan trade project

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Data breach: Zuckerberg says Facebook made mistakes on user data, vows curbs Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said on Wednesday that his company made mistakes in how it handled data belonging to 50 million of its users and promised tougher steps to restrict developers' access to such information. Trump to announce trade sanctions against China on Thursday President Donald Trump is poised to unveil sanctions against China Thursday for the "theft" of US intellectual property, a White House official said, teeing up a second potential confrontation in as many months. Court orders FIR against cricketer Hardik Pandya for tweet on Ambedkar A special SC/ST court in Jodhpur, Rajasthan has directed police to file an FIR against cricketer Hardik Pandya for an alleged tweet about Ambedkar. Dravidian language family is 4,500 years old: Study The Dravidian language family, consisting of 80 varieties spoken by nearly 220 million people across southern and central India, originated about 4,500 years ago, a study has found. Texas bomb suspect blows himself up, leaves confession A man suspected of carrying out a series of bombings in the Texas capital Austin blew himself up Wednesday, leaving behind a recorded video "confession" that police said portrayed "challenges in his personal life."

WION Morning News Brief, March 22, 2018

President Donald Trump is poised to unveil sanctions against China Thursday for the &quot;theft&quot; of US intellectual property, a White House official said, teeing up a second potential confrontation in as many months.

Spokesman Raj Shah told AFP that Trump will announce actions following an &quot;investigation into China&#39;s state-led, market-distorting efforts to force, pressure, and steal US technologies and intellectual property.&quot;

According to his schedule, released by the White House on Wednesday evening, he will sign &quot;a Presidential Memorandum targeting China&#39;s economic aggression.&quot;

Beijing has already warned the Trump administration against the move, urging him not act &quot;emotionally.&quot;

It is just weeks since Trump short-circuited White House deliberations and announced a raft of sanctions on foreign-produced steel and aluminum off the cuff.

That move prompted the resignation of top economic advisor Gary Cohn, a global stock market selloff, legal disputes and threats of retaliatory measures.

On Wednesday Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned that the prospect of a trade war was a growing threat to the world&#39;s largest economy.

But the impulsive president is showing no sign of backing down.

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer recently put a separate proposed package of $30 billion in tariffs on Chinese imports on Trump&#39;s desk.

And Trump appears to have agreed to at least that amount, as he tries to fulfil campaign promises to get tough on &quot;cheating&quot; by US trade partners, which he says have destroyed American jobs.

The US trade deficit with China ran to a record $375 billion last year -- but US exports to the country were also at a record.

Washington has long accused Beijing of forcing US companies to turn over proprietary commercial information and intellectual property as a condition of operating in China.

Trump claims to have built up a generally good relationship with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping whom he has praised for his role in pressuring North Korea over its nuclear program.

However, the trade dispute threatens to cast a pall over those relations, especially given the recent warnings from Beijing.

A laundry list of grievances 
A senior official in Lighthizer&#39;s office said Wednesday that the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations had attempted over the decades to coax China into respecting market economics and trade liberalization, but had all failed.

The Trump administration opened an investigation last August, acting on a series of allegations against China including that as a condition of doing business, China forces US companies to enter joint ventures and transfer technology and trade secrets to domestic partners and that US companies are not able to license intellectual property in China as freely as Chinese companies.

US officials also allege China has hacked US networks and conducted industrial espionage to steal US intellectual property.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent his top economics advisor Liu He to Washington this month to discuss the tensions of trade, but the US official said that at no point had the Chinese made a constructive proposal.

&quot;Certainly by November, the background was such that officials in China had reason to know about the concerns we&#39;ve raised ... At least, as of today the administration has not been satisfied with the types of responses we&#39;ve been getting from China,&quot; the senior official in Lighthizer&#39;s office said, speaking on condition of anonymity in a briefing to reporters.

&quot;Obviously the president will have the final say in terms of what we end up doing here.&quot;

&quot;As a general matter, we do have very strong evidence that China uses foreign ownership restrictions such as joint venture requirements and foreign equity limitations to require or pressure technology transfer from US companies to Chinese entities,&quot; he added.

Tariffs talks 
Along with the announcement of that offensive, Washington also held out the possibility of a detente with regards to the EU, which reacted furiously to the news of steel and aluminum tariffs.

In a joint statement, US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said they agreed to immediately begin &quot;a process of discussion&quot; on the tariffs and other matters &quot;with a view to identifying mutually acceptable outcomes as rapidly as possible.&quot;

Malmstrom had called for Europe to be exempted as a whole. Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Wednesday, European Council President Donald Tusk said he harbored &quot;cautious optimism&quot; on the prospects for a resolution.

The White House already said Canada and Mexico, which are major producers of the metals, will temporarily be exempt from the tariffs during talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

A spokesman said Trump will announce actions following an 'investigation into China's state-led, market-distorting efforts to force, pressure, and steal US technologies and intellectual property'

President Donald Trump is poised to unveil sanctions against China Thursday for the "theft" of US intellectual property, a White House official said, teeing up a second potential confrontation in as many months. Spokesman Raj Shah told AFP that Trump will announce actions following an "investigation into China's state-led, market-distorting efforts to force, pressure, and steal US technologies and intellectual property." According to his schedule, released by the White House on Wednesday evening, he will sign "a Presidential Memorandum targeting China's economic aggression." Beijing has already warned the Trump administration against the move, urging him not act "emotionally." It is just weeks since Trump short-circuited White House deliberations and announced a raft of sanctions on foreign-produced steel and aluminum off the cuff. That move prompted the resignation of top economic advisor Gary Cohn, a global stock market selloff, legal disputes and threats of retaliatory measures. On Wednesday Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned that the prospect of a trade war was a growing threat to the world's largest economy. But the impulsive president is showing no sign of backing down. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer recently put a separate proposed package of $30 billion in tariffs on Chinese imports on Trump's desk. And Trump appears to have agreed to at least that amount, as he tries to fulfil campaign promises to get tough on "cheating" by US trade partners, which he says have destroyed American jobs. The US trade deficit with China ran to a record $375 billion last year -- but US exports to the country were also at a record. Washington has long accused Beijing of forcing US companies to turn over proprietary commercial information and intellectual property as a condition of operating in China. Trump claims to have built up a generally good relationship with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping whom he has praised for his role in pressuring North Korea over its nuclear program. However, the trade dispute threatens to cast a pall over those relations, especially given the recent warnings from Beijing. A laundry list of grievances A senior official in Lighthizer's office said Wednesday that the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations had attempted over the decades to coax China into respecting market economics and trade liberalization, but had all failed. The Trump administration opened an investigation last August, acting on a series of allegations against China including that as a condition of doing business, China forces US companies to enter joint ventures and transfer technology and trade secrets to domestic partners and that US companies are not able to license intellectual property in China as freely as Chinese companies. US officials also allege China has hacked US networks and conducted industrial espionage to steal US intellectual property. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent his top economics advisor Liu He to Washington this month to discuss the tensions of trade, but the US official said that at no point had the Chinese made a constructive proposal. "Certainly by November, the background was such that officials in China had reason to know about the concerns we've raised ... At least, as of today the administration has not been satisfied with the types of responses we've been getting from China," the senior official in Lighthizer's office said, speaking on condition of anonymity in a briefing to reporters. "Obviously the president will have the final say in terms of what we end up doing here." "As a general matter, we do have very strong evidence that China uses foreign ownership restrictions such as joint venture requirements and foreign equity limitations to require or pressure technology transfer from US companies to Chinese entities," he added. Tariffs talks Along with the announcement of that offensive, Washington also held out the possibility of a detente with regards to the EU, which reacted furiously to the news of steel and aluminum tariffs. In a joint statement, US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said they agreed to immediately begin "a process of discussion" on the tariffs and other matters "with a view to identifying mutually acceptable outcomes as rapidly as possible." Malmstrom had called for Europe to be exempted as a whole. Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Wednesday, European Council President Donald Tusk said he harbored "cautious optimism" on the prospects for a resolution. The White House already said Canada and Mexico, which are major producers of the metals, will temporarily be exempt from the tariffs during talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Trump to announce trade sanctions against China on Thursday

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