China is reportedly planning to allow select companies, including Alibaba and ByteDance, to purchase limited quantities of advanced AI chips, such as Nvidia's products. This shift follows months of stand-off and requires companies to justify their need for foreign chips over domestic alternatives.
Armenia has appealed to the Eurasian Economic Commission (EAEU) to review Russia's import restrictions on its products, including "Jermuk" mineral water and various fruits, citing a cooling of relations due to Armenia's pro-European foreign policy shift.
The USDA confirmed a second case of New World screwworm in Texas, a one-month-old calf in Zavala County near the first case. Canada announced temporary livestock import restrictions from affected areas, while U.S. authorities continue movement controls and sterile insect releases to suppress the pest.
Armenia's Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated that Russia's import restrictions on certain Armenian goods are not new and are often exaggerated by political forces and media. He acknowledged that while political motives can exist, Armenian producers sometimes do fail to meet standards, necessitating import bans.
Taiwan has accused China of evading its import restrictions by smuggling vegetables like Napa cabbage and shiitake mushrooms through Vietnam, repackaging them as Vietnamese goods. Agriculture minister Chen Junne-jih announced measures including aerial surveys in Vietnam and strict penalties to combat this "origin laundering." DPP legislator Chiu Yi-ying revealed fraudulent Vietnamese certificates cost as little as $410, enabling profits of $6,400-$16,000 per container.
