Having to comply with international trade regulations, which can be complex and bewildering, may be daunting, but it puts your business in an advantageous position to grow, writes RAYMOND YEE.

STRONG economies, coupled with the shift in manufacturing of low-value goods from China to South-East Asia and the continuous reduction of trade barriers, have driven regional trade to a new peak, with intra-Asia trade now accounting for 25% of Asia’s US$6tril in annual exports, and the number is rising.

China’s top 20 container ports have handled more than 120 million TEUs this year until the end of August, but slowing export demand has seen little growth across most of the major ports including several year-over-year volume declines.

Shanghai throughput was flat compared to August last year as the world’s busiest container port handled 3.15 million TEUs, while the mainland’s second largest port saw 2.27 million boxes crossing its wharves, down 3 percent year-over-year, according to data from the Shanghai Shipping Exchange.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced on Aug. 31 the long-anticipated delay to full implementation of the Automated Commercial Environment, or ACE, its new computer platform.

This short respite comes as a welcome relief to anyone following this issue. While Customs is close to being ready for full implementation, the headaches are even greater for external stakeholders. Companies should not let up on their implementation efforts, however, and should strive to meet the new ACE timeline.

The reports that India would conclude negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement with Asean and five other Asian nations including Japan and China by the end of the year to launch one of the biggest free trade zones in the world is welcome. The free trade zone consisting of 16 countries will have a GDP of more than $ 21 trillion and cater to a population of 3.4 billion.

New analysis has identified the six riskiest economies in global trade, based on their exposure to the commodity price slump, the slowdown in China and the US Federal Reserve rate rise.

Researchers at ABN Amro have singled out Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa and Turkey as those emerging markets set to feel the heat of the coming months the most.

The prevailing economic slowdown in major world markets could force the World Trade Organization to further revise down its global trade growth for 2015 and 2016 for the fourth time.

This comes as Nairobi prepares to host the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference where trade deals on agriculture are expected to take centre stage.

WTO Information and External Relations Division Director Keith Rockwell exclusively talking to Channel One says despite infrastructure advancement, eliminating red tapes will be key in enhancing trade.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was speaking at the Vietnam-China economic and trade cooperation forum in Beijing on September 17, as part of his official visit to China from September 15.

He called on businesses to optimise a plenty of opportunities and potentials to promote the healthy collaboration in economics and tourism and deepen the Vietnam-China comprehensive cooperative strategic partnership.

Back in 2012, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hailed a proposed transatlantic free trade pact as a job-creating, growth-boosting “economic NATO” that would forge new ties between old allies.

Three years later, hopeful presidential candidate Hillary Clinton appears less enthusiastic.

“Can you make it go away?” was the only-half-joking response of her campaign chairman, John Podesta, to a recent question on the trade deal now being negotiated between the United States and European Union.

The second review of the trade policies and practices of Angola takes place on 22 September and 24 September 2015. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Government  of Angola.

Documents are available on the World Trade Organization website at:
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tp421_e.htm

Three trade associations representing steel producers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico today sent a joint letter to their respective government trade agencies expressing concern that recent developments in the automotive portion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations include proposals to weaken the "rules of origin" for the auto sector, which would adversely impact the steel industry. The letter can be found here.