The Government of the People’s Republic of China (GOC) has this week requested its lawyers to issue a plea for more time in submitting a proposed suspension agreement in the ongoing solar trade dispute with the U.S. The request for a week-long extension, until this Friday, August 15, applies to the recent decision by the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) to impose preliminary anti-dumping duties on solar cells and modules from China and Taiwan.

HA NOI  (VNS) — The total export value of Vietnamese shrimp and prawns increased by 59 per cent to reach US$1.96 billion between January 1 and July 15 this year. According to the general department of customs, the export value of shrimp and prawns in the first half of July increased by 31.4 per cent year on year to reach $166.1 million.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh made the proposal during talks with European Commission (EC) Vice President and Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton, in Hanoi on August 12. Minh underscored the importance of an early ratification of the PCA and the signing of EVFTA, helping Vietnam’s market economy status to be recognised and laying a solid foundation for bilateral relations to develop strongly and substantially.

The eighth week-long round of talks, held in Seoul, on the proposed free trade agreement between New Zealand and South Korea ended on August 8 with no significant breakthrough, as the countries remained divided over South Korean agricultural market access.

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Anand Sharma challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reject the Bali agreement if he was confident of his statement that UPA had compromised national interest at the WTO ministerial summit. Sharma said Modi was hiding behind his ministers and did not come to Rajya Sabha on Monday to back his remark that UPA had risked food security by signing the Bali pact and that his government took a tough stand last month to undo the damage.

(VOVworld) – Former World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Pascal Lamy says the organization recognizes Vietnam for implementing its commitments on trade liberalization. Lamy made the remark at a meeting Monday in Hanoi with Vietnamese enterprises, an event hosted by the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI). VCCI Chairman Vu Tien Loc said Vietnam’s economy has developed significantly since it became a WTO member in 2007.

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — The European Union is making progress in free trade talks with Vietnam but a concerted push would be needed to reach an agreement this year, the EU's top diplomat said Tuesday. Speaking to reporters in Hanoi during a one-day visit, Catherine Ashton said the negotiations will be given "new impetus" by EU President Jose Manuel Barroso's visit to Vietnam later this month. "Negotiations are making good progress although acceleration of talks would be required to reach an agreement before the end of the year," she said.

(Reuters) - Failure to reach a global customs rules deal could have a "considerable impact" on other areas of global trade negotiation, World Trade Organization Director-General Roberto Azevedo said on Monday during a visit to Mexico. Late last month, India torpedoed a deal to simplify, standardize and streamline the rules for shipping goods across borders, know as "trade facilitation", after it demanded concessions on agricultural stockpiling.

Korea Herald reported that the Seoul government is considering taking action to counter a recent decision from the United States to impose punitive duties on South Korean steel products. Mr Choi Kyong lim deputy trade minister of Seoul said that “The government plans to come up with appropriate measures based on a legal review of the decision and the impact it will have on the country’s exports of the same product to the US.”

MOSCOW, August 8 (RIA Novosti) – The World Trade Organization will probably not examine any complaints from western countries against Russia for imposing food bans until September, a source in the organization acquainted with the situation said Friday. “The WTO is currently on summer vacation. Any country wishing to react may make a statement during a session of the committee or council, or may present a document for the session, but there aren’t any sessions scheduled until September,” the source said.