NEW DELHI: Expressing concern over a large number of free trade agreements signed by India, industry body Ficci on Tuesday said it would make the country’s manufacturing sector "uncompetitive". "...there is a danger here that our manufacturing will become increasingly uncompetitive. People will import especially, when we have signed free trade agreements with ASEAN and Sri Lanka. We will import duty free, so manufacturing is under threat," Ficci Secretary General Rajiv Kumar said here at a seminar.

SEOUL, Aug 24 (Bernama) — South Korea, China and Japan will hold their sixth joint study meeting next week on the feasibility of a free trade agreement (FTA) among the three Northeast Asian countries, trade ministry said on Wednesday. The meeting will be held in Changchun in northeastern China from Wednesday to Friday, according to the ministry. During the upcoming meeting, the three nations will discuss a draft of commodities trade and other issues, such as service and investment, reports Yonhap news agency citing the ministry as saying.

KATHMANDU, Aug 24: The government has initiated preparation for trade talks with the country’s two crucial trade partners — India and the US. “We´ve begun formulating agendas, incorporating pertinent issues for the upcoming bi-lateral talks, and reviewing progress made since the earlier talks with both the countries,” said Toya Narayan Gyawali, joint secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS).

(Reuters) - China vowed on Wednesday to appeal a recent World Trade Organization ruling against its raw materials export policy, a case that could threaten Beijing's handling of rare earths. In July, a WTO legal panel dismissed China's claim that its system of export duties and quotas on raw materials -- used in the production of steel, electronics and medicines -- served to protect its environment and scarce resources.

China, under pressure to relax controls over rare earths, said Wednesday it would appeal against a World Trade Organisation ruling that it illegally restricted exports of other key raw materials. The WTO last month upheld complaints by the United States, European Union and Mexico, ruling that China had failed to abide by accession commitments when it imposed quotas and duties on several types of minerals.

In a radio and internet address, South Korea’s President Lee Myung-bak has emphasized the importance of the global market for the country and, within that context, the government’s core strategy of securing free trade agreements (FTAs).

Last week (on August 15th - 19th) Hong Kong the trader gave American the middle man metallic silicon quoted price are: 553#2450 US dollar/ton CIF Baltimore (Baltimore), this batch of metallic silicon are China which transports from Vietnam produce the metallic silicon. So long as each ton adds 250 US dollars again, US's middle men namely may obtain this batch of metallic silicon to be from Vietnam's proof, so long as had this certificate they to be possible not to need to pay the counter-dumping tax again.

With effect from August 15, 2011, Vietnam’s Customs Department has begun to implement new duties on second-hand cars with a capacity of less than 15 people (including the driver) imported into the country. Under the new tax directive, second-hand vehicles holding up to nine persons (including the driver) and with an engine capacity of less than 1,000cc will be charged an import tariff of USD3,500 per vehicle. Those with an engine capacity of between 1,000cc and 1,500cc will be liable for a USD8,000 tariff.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said on Sunday that Turkey has reached an agreement with South Africa to mutually waive visa requirements and increase bilateral visits, with an aim toward enriching diplomatic and trade ties, as he announced plans for a visit to South Africa by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the coming months.

  By Javier Delgado Rivera