New Blog

The Northern Kentucky International Trade Association’s blog has moved to a new location. Please follow our new blog at nkychamber.com.

100,000 Strong

Citing the strategic importance of the U.S.-China relationship President Obama announced in 2009 the 100,000 Strong Initiative, a national effort to increase dramatically the number of American students studying in China and prepare the next generation of American experts to manage the growing political, economic, and cultural ties between the United States and China. Kimberly McClure, Deputy Director of the 100,000 Strong Initiative and a Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State, will visit Northern Kentucky next week to speak to our higher education and business communities.

Kimberly McClure is an eight-year Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. While traveling frequently to China in her current role, Kimberly has spent most of her career working on South Asia policy in India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Washington.

Following two-year assignments to Mumbai, India, and Kabul, Afghanistan, Kimberly worked as Special Assistant to Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan; completed an International Affairs Fellowship with the Council on Foreign Relations; and completed assignments in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Human Resources and Operations Center. Kimberly holds a B.A. in international relations from Stanford University and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Thanks to an effort by the Greater Cincinnati World Affairs Council (GCWAC), on Wednesday, January 25 at 2:00 PM, Kimberly McClure will be at the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce to meet with local business leaders who have an interest to speak about the economic development and growth benefits of China. To reserve a seat for this meeting, please contact Kyle Horseman at 859.426.3653 or by email.
Focus on China: 100,000 Strong
Kimberly McClure
Deputy Director,100,000 Strong Initiative
US Department of State
Time: 2:00-3:00 PM, Wednesday January 25th
Location: Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Cost: Free to attend
Contact: Kyle Horseman
859.426.3653

Hong Kong Delegation Visits the Tri-State

On Tuesday, October 18, 2011, Commissioner Donald Tong visited Northern Kentucky to meet with business, community and academic leaders. Commissioner Tong shared insights on opportunities and advantages of building relationships within the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Commissioner Tong’s speech follows.

NKITA and DHL Export Trade Conference

Thursday, November 17, 2011, Hilton Cincinnati Airport, 7373 Turfway Road, Florence, KY

Join NKITA at the 2011 DHL Express International Trade Affairs & Compliance (ITAC) Seminar Series.

During the seminar you will learn about:
* Overview of export controls by DHL Express
* Overview of export enforcement by Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement
* Brief overview of recent changes in the sanctions and embargo programs by Doug Jacobson
* Automated Export System filing compliance by U.S. Census Bureau
* Brief overview of export compliance best practices published by Bureau of Industry and Security

REGISTER TODAY!

2011 Greater Cincinnati International Trade Award

 

FT. MITCHELL, KY – August 3, 2011 –The Northern Kentucky International Trade Association (NKITA), a program of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, recently announced the finalists of the 2011 Greater Cincinnati International Trade Award. The finalists are:  Aristech Acrylics, one of the world’s largest suppliers of　continuous　cast acrylic and solid surface sheet; MI-SWACO, leading supplier of drilling  fluid systems, North American Stainless, the largest, fully integrated stainless steel producer in the U.S., and the OYSTAR Group, one of the world’s leading providers of complete solutions for packaging machines.

“The Finalists of the 2011 Greater Cincinnati International Trade Award are an excellent representation of the entrepreneurial energy and vitality of the business environment of our region,” said Daniele S. Longo, Vice President, International Affairs, Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.

The winner will be selected based on the following criteria:

• Revenue Generation –
• Percentage of revenue income from international vs. domestic and export vs. import.
• Global Network –
• Size and scope of global network and relationships developed (i.e. partnerships, affiliations, etc.). Applicants must also indicate the number of different markets they exported and imported from as well as their adaptability to the culture and local business environments.
• Risk Mitigation –
• Strategies mitigate credit risk, treasury and currency exposures, legal issues and logistical issues while staying competitive.
• Organizational Structure
• – This demonstrates how the businesses infrastructure is developed for handling international business and the measures they have taken to be multi-cultural and multi-lingual.

The winner will be announced at the 7^th Annual NKITA Luncheon on Thursday, August 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Grand, Covington, KY.  The keynote speakers will be Mr. Fernando Aguiluz, General Cable, and Mr. Richard Ketron, MAG Cincinnati. Title Sponsors are DHL Express and Fifth Third Bank. Supporting Sponsors are SWECO and VonLehman. Event Sponsors are KPMG and SS&G.

Reservations are required by August 21^st. The cost to attend is $35 for Chamber members, $45 for future members. For more information on NKITA or to make reservations, visit www.nkychamber.com or contact Tim Norris at (859) 578 6394 or tnorris@nkychamber.com. 

U.S., Macedonia reach open skies agreement

The United States and Macedonia on Thursday reached an open skies aviation agreement, which will allow airlines of both countries to select routes, destinations and prices for passenger and cargo services based on consumer demand and market conditions.

It’s the first aviation agreement between the two countries.

Open skies agreements allow unrestricted access by the airlines of each side to fly to, from and beyond the other’s territory, without restriction on how often carriers fly, the kind of aircraft they use and the prices they charge.

The agreement makes Macedonia the 103rd U.S. open skies partner.

American Shipper, 7/15/2011

Colombia Trade Deal Loses Key Support

The top Democrat on a key House trade panel whipped up a new furor over three stalled trade deals Monday when he said he wouldn’t support a pact with Colombia if the White House and Republicans refuse to include references to pro-labor provisions negotiated by the Obama administration.

The move by Rep. Sander Levin (D., Mich.), the ranking member of the House Ways and Means committee, appeared late Monday to have rallied skeptical Democrats against the Colombia pact. Reps. George Miller (D., Calif.) and James McGovern (D., Mass.) issued a statement also condemning the administration’s stance on the Colombia bill.  Read more.

E. Williamson, Wallstreet Journal, JUNE 28, 2011

Vietnam’s Labor Unrest

In May, Japanese motor maker Minebea broke ground in Phnom Penh for a 5,000-worker plant. The company had at first considered Vietnam but rejected it because strikes had become increasingly common there. “A strike would be trouble,” Yasunari Kuwano, a spokesman at Tokyo-based Minebea, says of the $62 million plant, which will make motors for appliances and digital equipment. “Labor is the key focus for us in choosing Cambodia.”

As Minebea was starting to build its plant, London-based cable maker Volex Group and Japanese lingerie company Wacoal Holdings (WACLY) were among the foreign investors in Vietnam facing illegal wildcat strikes. Workers are demanding better pay as the highest inflation in Asia hurts their purchasing power. Inflation quickened to a 29-month high of 19.78 percent in May, stoked by fuel and electricity prices. The key index for the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange has declined about 14 percent over the last 12 months, the worst performance for that period in Asia, and the currency has slid 8.6 percent against the dollar.

Vietnam had 336 strikes in the first four months of 2011, according to its General Confederation of Labor: That’s on course to beat the 2008 record of 762. Many are wildcat stoppages, which lack legal authorization, according to the Geneva-based International Labor Organization. “Every day, somewhere in the country there is a strike,” says Youngmo Yoon, a Vietnam labor specialist for the ILO. Average wages should rise 12 percent this year.  Read more.

O. Ha, D. Pham, Bloomberg Businessweek, June 23, 2011

Bipartisan Coalition Introduces Bill to Give Customs the Discipline to Combat Trade Cheats

 Washington, D.C. –As evidence mounts about the extent to which foreign exporters have been eager and willing to circumvent U.S. trade laws continues, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators have introduced legislation to create the discipline necessary at Customs and Border Protection to combat trade cheats and provide a fair playing field for U.S. manufacturers. The bill has been introduced by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) the chair of the Senate Finance Committee’s subcommittee on Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness, Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Charles Schumer (D-NY).

The Enforcing Orders and Reducing Circumvention Evasion Act (ENFORCE) requires CBP – the federal agency tasked with investigating and prosecuting trade violations – to quickly investigate allegations of antidumping and countervailing duty evasion in order to counteract the disastrous effects evasion has had on domestic manufacturing.

 “Customs has been asleep at the switch and U.S. manufacturing is paying for it,” Wyden said. “Foreign exporters are running roughshod over our trade laws and showing almost total disregard for our ability to enforce them. This costs jobs. U.S. enforcement abilities must be up to the task of dealing with trade cheaters and this bill gives them the discipline they need to investigate, prosecute and collect from those willing to evade U.S. law.”

Senator Olympia J. Snowe said, “When unscrupulous foreign exporters invent schemes to avoid paying duties it puts workers in Maine and throughout the nation at a severe disadvantage and bilks our government out of millions of dollars in uncollected fees. Regrettably, our government’s reluctance when it comes to enforcing existing trade rules has contributed to the silencing of our manufacturing industry, adding to rampant job loss and high unemployment around the nation,” said Senator Snowe, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee. “The ENFORCE Act is a vital step to make certain our government has the tools to protect American companies from blatant trade violations that take place at the expense of our global competitiveness and prosperity.  Passing this critical legislation will ensure there are no excuses when it comes to holding accountable those who seek to evade our trade laws.”

“Foreign companies who are evading penalties and continuing to violate our trade laws are putting American jobs at stake. In Missouri, we’ve lost hundreds of jobs because of these kinds of violations. Missouri companies can compete on a global scale, but we have to make sure they have a level playing field. This bill will give the watchdogs who are supposed to be enforcing these laws the tools they need to protect our economy,” McCaskill said.
 
“In order to expand and promote trade policies that lead to more U.S. exports, it’s important that we properly enforce the remedies available to American companies that are victims of unfair trade practices,” said Blunt. “This legislation will build support for trade policies in the United States and ensure that we don’t disadvantage our own job creators in favor of foreign competitors.”

 “When a reckless driver buys a radar detector instead of paying his speeding ticket, that’s evasion,” Brown said. “That’s exactly what happens when foreign companies avoid paying duties on unfairly- subsidized and dumped products. Ohio manufacturers rely on trade enforcement laws, but when duties are so easily evaded, they become meaningless. The ENFORCE Act will help ensure that we stay one step ahead of these illegal and unfair practices that put Ohio manufacturers at a serious disadvantage.”

“Foreign companies who are not playing by the rules, harming Ohio workers and American taxpayers, should not be allowed to do an end-run around the law,” said Portman, who initiated the first-ever legal case to be litigated and won against China before the World Trade Organization because of China’s unfair treatment of U.S.-made auto parts.

“The American people have been fleeced long enough by exporters who cheat the trade system to make a quick buck. Our American manufacturers are already hurting and the deceptive actions of these exporters only costs more jobs and economic growth. To those who are cheating our trade system the ENFORCE Act says, enough is enough.” Senator Schumer said. “It’s time the feds ripped the band aid off and began aggressively enforcing our trade laws so these cheats can no longer steal from the American people.”  

Many countries provide their domestic manufacturing subsidies and other favorable treatment in order to increase their ability to export to other countries. This “leg up” is often disastrous for domestic manufacturing in the countries they are exporting to as they are often unable to compete with foreign produced goods. Anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders are the U.S.government’s remedy for using these practices. However, foreign exporters, many from China, have been known to intentionally mislabel shipments and reroute goods through third-party countries in an effort to fool customs officials and circumvent these trade laws. And as inquiries by Senator Wyden’s staff exposed, this practice is pervasive as many foreign exporters are eager and willing to evade these duty orders

The ENFORCE Act establishes a rapid-response timeline by which Customs would respond to allegations of evasion. The law requires Customs to determine whether there is a reasonable basis to believe an importer is evading an AD/CVD order within 90 days of an allegation being put forward. If an affirmative preliminary determination is made, the ENFORCE Act will require that AD/CVD penalties be collected in cash until the investigation is concluded.

Since many of the schemes importers use to evade these orders include mislabeling the origin of merchandise, it is very difficult for theU.S.government’s product safety mechanisms to cope. The ENFORCE Act will also increase the safety of imports by authorizing information sharing among the appropriate agencies when the government determines that an importer may be attempting to evade an AD/CVD order.

5/31/2011

Easing business travel in the world’s fastest growing economies: APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Legislation introduced in House of Representatives

 

May 26, 2011 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) welcomes  the introduction of the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Act in the House of Representatives and urges its passage as soon as is practicable.  We applaud representatives Kevin Brady (R-TX), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Wally Herger (R-CA), Joseph Crowley (D-NY) and Dan Lundgren (R-CA), for their continued sponsorship of the ABTC. 

 

 

 

The Asia-Pacific encompasses the world’s most dynamic and fastest growing region.  Its markets are critical to maintainingU.S.competiveness and achieving President Obama’s National Export Initiative goals, and ease of travel is important to businesses wishing to engage in those markets.  Read more.

5/31/2011