Archive for December, 2008

WASHINGTON – The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative today presented to Congress the statutorily-mandated annual report on China’s compliance with its World Trade Organization accession obligations. The report highlights the status of China's ongoing efforts in such areas as intellectual property rights, industrial policy, agriculture, and services.

United States Opens Food-Safety Offices in China; Washington - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has opened offices in the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in hopes of better regulating the safety of imported food and medicine.

U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab announced today that the United States increased its annual spending on Aid for Trade programs, also known as trade capacity building, to $2.3 billion in the 2008 fiscal year, an increase of 60 percent from the 2007 fiscal year. Since 2000, the United States has provided more than $9.7 billion in total trade-related assistance to our less developed trading partners.

OHL recently announced that additional warehouse space has been secured in Memphis, TN in order to accomodate five new customers. The leading logistics company’s Southeast Memphis expansion could add up to 75 additional employees.

Alexander competed with 17 fellow forklift drivers at the competition finals in Nashville to earn the Top Gun title.  The competition consisted of a written test, forklift inspection, and completion of an obstacle course.  Contestants were given points based on knowledge, safety, skill and ability.

Anyone waiting for a ruling on the Federal Maritime Commission's request for a preliminary injunction to stop key portions of the clean truck programs at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will have to wait until next year.

The U.S. and China wrapped up high-level economic talks with pledges to support financial markets, trade and investment in both countries, as the strains of the global financial crisis push two of the world’s main economic drivers to work more closely together despite their differences.

Citing a bad economy and the slow pace of approval for new infrastructure projects, port authorities are preparing to significantly scale back and delay the January 1 launch of a US$15 container fee on goods shipped through Long Beach and Los Angeles, the McClatchy-Tribune reported.