Insights

China remains the world’s second largest economy, and may indeed surpass the US before the COVID-19 pandemic. An increasing proportion of China’s industrial output and other Asian output is consumed locally or regionally within the Asia Pacific. As a result, US brand owners, manufacturers, and [...]

On 28 July 2021, the U.S. Dept. of Justice announced a settlement in a customs fraud case[1].  The announced settlement of US$6 million includes underpaid duties and penalties against the importer of Chinese apparel and his two related companies.  This settlement also includes a 20% [...]

Since late 2012, there has been a standing prediction amongst trade and customs lawyers that a wave of whistleblower cases alleging false claims in customs and trade transactions would eventually overwhelm importers[1].  This prediction seemed reasonable in the wake of a $45 million settlement between [...]

Both political parties have made promises around the return of manufacturing to the Unites States. Vote for them and this will be the certain result of their shrewd policies, so they say.  Leaving aside the grandiosity of these promises, it highlights one of the few [...]

On 22 May, China has announced duty reductions on imported automotive vehicles and parts.  The duty rate for imported vehicles has reduced to 15% from 25% whilst the duty rate for parts has generally been reduced to 6%. Please find a link to the announcement [...]

Fintech Future by William Marshall 01-May-2018 Hong Kong is transitioning from a major hub of traditional financial services to one of equal or greater significance in the cryptocurrency and fintech space.  Whilst this bodes well for the future of Hong Kong’s financial services sector and [...]