Senior Officials Hold Midyear Review on U.S.-China Trade Issues

Washington - Senior U.S. and Chinese trade officials discussed recent developments in U.S.-China trade and investment relations at the July 27 U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) midyear review meeting in Washington.

Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sánchez and Deputy United States Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis co-chaired the meeting with Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Chao. Ambassador Islam Siddiqui, chief agricultural negotiator for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and Janet Nuzum, associate administrator for policy at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service, also participated in the meeting.

The two governments reviewed implementation of commitments made at the 2011 JCCT and began preparations for the 2012 JCCT meeting, which is to be held in the United States later this year, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said.

"The U.S.-China trade relationship remains one of the most important in the world, but the relationship must be fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial," Sánchez said. "We will continue to push China to take concrete steps that open its markets to and level the playing field for U.S. goods and services, to ensure that these principles guide our bilateral trade ties."

Marantis said, "We leverage the JCCT process to resolve trade and investment policy challenges, and the midyear review is a key opportunity to develop momentum for this year's JCCT plenary and ensure that China fully implements last year's commitments."

China is a critical destination for U.S. manufactured goods and services, as America's third-largest export market, following neighboring Canada and Mexico. Between 2009 and 2011, U.S. goods exports to China grew by nearly 50 percent.

The JCCT, established in 1983, is the main forum for addressing bilateral trade concerns and promoting commercial opportunities between the United States and China.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State.) 

WDC Board creates committee to examine restructuring, expresses support for KP reform and expanded conflict diamond definition (July 30, 2012)

NEW YORK: July 30, 2012 - The newly elected WDC Board of Directors held its first meeting on July 24, and expressed the organization's strong support for the reform of the Kimberley Process and for the KP Chair's expanded definition for conflict diamonds, as was proposed at the World Diamond Council Annual Meeting in Vicenza, Italy, on May 14.

The Board also gave the green light to a proposal by WDC President Eli Izhakoff that a Steering Committee be established, to examine the restructuring of the World Diamond Council in terms of membership, financing and administration, so as to upgrade the functioning and efficiency of the organization in its second decade of operation. WDC Vice President Andrew Bone was appointed to head the steering committee.

Mr. Izhakoff greeted the new members of the board - Johan Dippenaar, Stephane Fischler, Lisu Lionel Hadebe, Vinod Hayagriv, Reuven Kaufman, Dilip Mehta, Yair Sahar and Leonid Tolpezhnikov. Andrew Bone and Stephane Fischler were appointed vice presidents.

"The WDC board applauded the two-year collaboration agreement between the United States and South Africa, and we believe that it provides an opportunity for real progress," Mr. Izhakoff said. "We urge the governments of the other KP member countries to join in this spirit of cooperation, in order to institute the reforms that the Kimberley Process so urgently needs, including the establishment of a permanent Administrative Support Mechanism, the implementation of a more rigorous peer review system and improved information exchange with international law enforcement agencies."

"The board affirmed the resolution of the WDC General Assembly in Vicenza that the proposal made by KP Chair Ambassador Gillian Milovanovic, according to which the term conflict diamonds would be amended to cover 'rough diamonds used to finance, or otherwise directly related to, armed conflict or other situations of violence,' is a good basis for moving forward the discussion on an expanded definition. We also hope to see progress in this respect, and call on all KP participants to engage in a constructive discussion so that the issue may be resolved."

The officers and directors of the World Diamond Council are as follows:

OFFICERS

Eli Izhakoff, President

Avi Paz, First Vice President

Ernest Blom, Vice President

Andrew Bone, Vice President

Stephane Fischler, Vice President

Moti Ganz, Vice President

Shmuel Schnitzer, Vice President

Gaetano Cavalieri, Treasurer & CFO

Udi Sheintal, Secretary General

DIRECTORS

Roberto Coin

Johan Dippenaar

Ari Epstein

Lisu Lionel Hadebe

Clive Hopwood

Vinod Hayagriv

Mark Jenkins

Reuven Kaufman

Jean Marc Lieberherr

Dilip Mehta

Vasant Mehta

Willie Roti

Yair Sahar

Leonid Tolpezhnikov

Ronnie VanderLinden

Large high-caliber machines and customer specific system solutions for medical industry

– MX 850 injection molding machines produced in China – Customer specific CleanForm solutions for medical parts

(Munich, July 30, 2012) During Taipei Plast in Taipei (Hall 1F, Booth I1401), KraussMaffei will focus on MX machines from Chinese production and CleanForm technology certified according to GMP (Good Manufacturing Process) guidelines for the manufacture of plastic products for medical and technical applications in cleanrooms. With the solution concepts based on the CX and EX Series, KraussMaffei is the world's only manufacturer of injection molding machines to have already successfully implemented several cleanroom cells up to Class 5 according to DIN EN ISO 14644-1.

Injection molding machines for daily and extraordinary tasks MX 850 machines from local Chinese production are ideal tools for daily and extraordinary tasks at regional plastic processors of all industries. "Our special solutions in injection molding machinery and high efficiency with innovative strength were the main factors in the last few years that allowed us to successfully establish ourselves on the Asian market“, explains Frank Peters, Vice President Sales at the injection molding segment of KraussMaffei. "KraussMaffei stands for top machine quality, technical and user-oriented innovation and reliable service“. Multiple component machines and large machines with compression molding functions for the production of complex components are used, in particular, in the automotive and electronics industry. With its MX swivel plate and compression molding machine for multicolor television screen frames and windshields, KraussMaffei has positioned itself on the Asian market just as successfully as with the CX Multinject for multicolor and multiple component applications in the low and medium clamping force ranges. Combined processes from injection molding and reaction process technology, among others, SkinForm or ColorForm processes, make full use of the material-specific properties and produce components with excellent surfaces in a single work step. Haptic requirements are also met, as well as high-gloss lacquer surfaces. One step ahead in terms of cleanliness Injection molding machines from KraussMaffei offer ideal requirements for successful production under clean conditions. The CX Series was therefore successfully certified according to Cleanroom Class ISO 5, ISO 14644-1 and also, as an isolator principle, GMP Sterility Class A. "KraussMaffei has been a reliable partner for many years for the medical and pharmaceutical industries with its CX and EX machines. The all-electric EX CleanForm sets the highest standards throughout the industry in regard to the production of sterile components", said Dr. Karlheinz Bourdon, Vice president Technologies at the injection molding segment of KraussMaffei. The EX CleanForm production cell was systematically designed for cleanroom applications in the highest classes (Class A according to GMP). Flexible machine technology, extensive solution expertise Clean molding production requires, in particular, extensive knowledge of contamination sources and their remedial measures. Depending on the component and the production environment, an adapted production cell comprising a machine, a cleanroom and an automation concept represents the solution for complex molding production. To this end, KraussMaffei offers different machine series featuring specific advantages for the CleanForm variants "inside“, "outside drop“, "outside robot“ and "room-in-room“. In addition to the supply of machines and robots, the successful outcome of a project at KraussMaffei includes consulting, engineering and documentation services. "We know the special requirements in the medical industry and can supply the right solutions together with our colleagues in Automation", said Thomas Hörl, Key Account Manager Medical at KraussMaffei. Extensive module for an ideal cleanroom machine With the uncompromisingly compact hydraulic CX Series and the all-electric EX series containing the attribute "uncompromisingly fast", the manufacturer offers an extensive module for configuring the ideal cleanroom machine for every customer. The CleanForm production cell is completed by linear robots with vertical or lateral entry and industrial robots in different designs.

CCI issues order against cement manufacturers, imposes penalty of Rs.397.51 crores on M/s Shree Cement Limited

The Competition Commission of India passed its final order today in a restrictive trade practice inquiry against cement manufacturers and their trade association viz. Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA). The Commission in its order issued today found eleven cement manufacturers including M/s Shree Cement Limited and CMA in contravention of the provisions of the Competition Act, 2002 which deal with anti-competitive agreements including cartels. As the cement companies(except M/s Shree Cement Limited) were already found to be in cartel in Case No. 29 of 2010 and penalized by the Commission vide its order dated 20.06.2012, the Commission decided not to order remedies including imposition of penalty on such companies again for the same period of contravention. The inquiry was based on a case received on transfer from the Office of the Director General (Investigation & Registration) of the erstwhile Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission under section 66(6) of the Competition Act, 2002. The MRTP Commission had initiated the investigations on the basis of press reports published in a business daily as well as on a letter of Builders Association of India. The Commission directed M/s Shree Cement Limited to cease and desist from indulging in any activity relating to agreement, understanding or arrangement on prices, production and supply of cement in the market. The Commission has also imposed a penalty on M/s Shree Cement Ltd. at the rate of 0.5 times of its profits for the years 2009-10 and 2010-11 aggregating to Rs.397.51 corers. The order of Commission has been passed in RTPE No.52 of 2006 and a copy of the order has been uploaded on the website of CCI at www.cci.gov.in

Filing of Cost Audit Report and Compliance Report in the Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) Mode

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has decided that all cost auditors and the concerned companies will be allowed to file their Cost Audit Reports and Compliance Reports for the year 2011-12 [including the overdue reports relating to any previous year(s)] with the Central Government in the XBRL mode, without any penalty, upto 31st December, 2012. Accordingly the Institute of Cost Accountants of India, 12, Sudder Street, Kolkata – 700 016 Institute has been requested to circulate this for the information of all concerned. It may be noted that its circular of 10th May, 2012 [as amended on 29th June, 2012], it has already been mandated by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs that all cost auditors and the concerned companies shall file their Cost Audit Reports and Compliance Reports for the year 2011-12 onwards [including the overdue reports relating to any previous year(s)] only in the XBRL mode. For this purpose, the applicable taxonomy, business rules, validation tools, etc. and also the “Product Group” classification required for preparing the cost audit reports and compliance reports as per the notified Cost Accounting Records Rules, 2011 and Cost Audit Report Rules, 2011 are under preparation and would soon be made available by the Ministry. The actual date for enabling XBRL filing will be intimated separately.

Centre to take up on Fast Track Necessary Clearances for Navi Mumbai Airport

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Ajit Singh has assured Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Prithviraj Chavan that the Centre will take on fast track the necessary clearances required for building Navi Mumbai International Airport. Shri Chavan had met Shri Singh in New Delhi today. Shri Singh informed that the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) has to look into the legal aspects including the bid document, contractual liabilities, infrastructural and environmental issues etc. before giving go ahead to the project. He added that the Centre is aware of the progress made towards the project by the Maharashtra Government on environmental clearance, shifting of EHV transmission lines, rehabilitation and resettlement of affected people, connectivity, land development scheme and land acquisition. The meeting also discussed the issues such as economic regulation and traffic distribution, ATN/ ANS and management of the two airports in Mumbai without operational conflict. Union Cabinet has already granted in-principle approval for international airport at Navi Mumbai in May 2007. This is one of the priority items which is being monitored directly by the PMO.

Siemens further expands service business in Brazil – receives order from ArcelorMittal Tubarão to maintain continuous slab caster

Siemens VAI Metals Services Ltda. will take over the maintenance of continuous slab caster no. 3 of ArcelorMittal Tubarão, a Brazilian steelmaker, for the next five years. Payment will be based on plant performance figures, such as the production volume, and the guaranteed service lives of the casting molds and segments used.