[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 122 (Wednesday, June 24, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38000-38002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13596]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Notice of Product Exclusion and Amendments: China's Acts, 
Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual 
Property, and Innovation

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice of product exclusion and amendments.

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SUMMARY: In September 2018, the U.S. Trade Representative imposed 
additional duties on goods of China with an annual trade value of 
approximately $200 billion as part of the action in the Section 301 
investigation of China's acts, policies, and practices related to 
technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation. The U.S. 
Trade Representative initiated a product exclusion process in June 
2019, and interested persons have submitted requests for the exclusion 
of specific products. This notice announces the U.S. Trade 
Representative's determination to grant an additional exclusion 
request, as specified in the Annex to this notice, and corrects 
technical errors in previously announced exclusions.

DATES: The product exclusions announced in this notice will apply as of 
September 24, 2018, the effective date of the $200 billion action, and 
extend to August 7, 2020. The amendments announced in this notice are 
retroactive to the date that the original exclusions were published.

[[Page 38001]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general questions about this 
notice, contact Assistant General Counsels Philip Butler or Megan 
Grimball, or Director of Industrial Goods Justin Hoffmann at (202) 395-
5725. For specific questions on customs classification or 
implementation of the product exclusions identified in the Annex to 
this notice, contact [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

A. Background

    For background on the proceedings in this investigation, please see 
prior notices including 82 FR 40213 (August 24, 2017), 83 FR 14906 
(April 6, 2018), 83 FR 28710 (June 20, 2018), 83 FR 33608 (July 17, 
2018), 83 FR 38760 (August 7, 2018), 83 FR 47974 (September 21, 2018), 
83 FR 49153 (September 28, 2018), 83 FR 65198 (December 19, 2018), 84 
FR 7966 (March 5, 2019), 84 FR 20459 (May 9, 2019), 84 FR 29576 (June 
24, 2019), 84 FR 38717 (August 7, 2019), 84 FR 46212 (September 3, 
2019), 84 FR 49591 (September 20, 2019), 84 FR 57803 (October 28, 
2019), 84 FR 61674 (November 13, 2019), 84 FR 65882 (November 29, 
2019), 84 FR 69012 (December 17, 2019), 85 FR 549 (January 6, 2020), 85 
FR 6674 (February 5, 2020), 85 FR 9921 (February 20, 2020), 85 FR 15015 
(March 16, 2020), 85 FR 17158 (March 26, 2020), 85 FR 23122 (April 24, 
2020), 85 FR 27489 (May 8, 2020), and 85 FR 32094 (May 28, 2020).
    Effective September 24, 2018, the U.S. Trade Representative imposed 
additional 10 percent ad valorem duties on goods of China classified in 
5,757 full and partial subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of 
the United States (HTSUS), with an approximate annual trade value of 
$200 billion. See 83 FR 47974, as modified by 83 FR 49153. In May 2019, 
the U.S. Trade Representative increased the additional duty to 25 
percent. See 84 FR 20459. On June 24, 2019, the U.S. Trade 
Representative established a process by which stakeholders could 
request exclusion of particular products classified within an eight-
digit HTSUS subheading covered by the $200 billion action from the 
additional duties. See 84 FR 29576 (the June 24 notice).
    Under the June 24 notice, requests for exclusion had to identify 
the product subject to the request in terms of the physical 
characteristics that distinguish the product from other products within 
the relevant eight-digit HTSUS subheading covered by the $200 billion 
action. Requestors also had to provide the ten-digit HTSUS subheading 
most applicable to the particular product requested for exclusion, and 
could submit information on the ability of U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection to administer the requested exclusion. Requestors were asked 
to provide the quantity and value of the Chinese-origin product that 
the requestor purchased in the last three years. With regard to the 
rationale for the requested exclusion, requests had to address the 
following factors:
     Whether the particular product is available only from 
China and specifically whether the particular product and/or a 
comparable product is available from sources in the United States and/
or third countries.
     Whether the imposition of additional duties on the 
particular product would cause severe economic harm to the requestor or 
other U.S. interests.
     Whether the particular product is strategically important 
or related to ``Made in China 2025'' or other Chinese industrial 
programs.
    The June 24 notice stated that the U.S. Trade Representative would 
take into account whether an exclusion would undermine the objective of 
the Section 301 investigation.
    The June 24 notice required submission of requests for exclusion 
from the $200 billion action no later than September 30, 2019, and 
noted that the U.S. Trade Representative periodically would announce 
decisions. In August 2019, the U.S. Trade Representative granted an 
initial set of exclusion requests. See 84 FR 38717. The U.S. Trade 
Representative granted additional exclusions in September, October, 
November and December 2019, and January, February, March, April and May 
2020. See 84 FR 49591; 84 FR 57803; 84 FR 61674; 84 FR 65882; 84 FR 
69012; 85 FR 549; 85 FR 6674; 85 FR 9921; 85 FR 15015; 85 FR 17158; 85 
FR 23122; 85 FR 27489; and 85 FR 32094. The Office of the United States 
Trade Representative regularly updates the status of each pending 
request on the Exclusions Portal at https://exclusions.ustr.gov/s/docket?docketNumber=USTR-2019-0005.

B. Determination To Grant Certain Exclusions

    Based on evaluation of the factors set forth in the June 24 notice, 
which are summarized above, pursuant to sections 301(b), 301(c), and 
307(a) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, and in accordance with the 
advice of the interagency Section 301 Committee, the U.S. Trade 
Representative has determined to grant the product exclusion set forth 
in the Annex to this notice. The U.S. Trade Representative's 
determination also takes into account advice from advisory committees 
and any public comments on the pertinent exclusion requests.
    As set forth in the Annex, the exclusion is reflected in one 
specially prepared product description, which responds to one exclusion 
request.
    In accordance with the June 24 notice, the exclusion is available 
for any product that meets the description in the Annex, regardless of 
whether the importer benefitting from the product exclusion filed an 
exclusion request. Further, the scope of the exclusion is governed by 
the scope of the product description in the Annex, and not by the 
product description found in any particular request for exclusion.
    Paragraph A, of the Annex contains a conforming amendment to the 
HTSUS reflecting the modifications made by the Annex.
    Paragraph B of the Annex makes technical corrections to certain 
notes of the HTSUS. Specifically, paragraph B, subparagraph (1), 
corrects a typographical error in the product descriptions contained in 
U.S. note (20)(mm)(30), published at 84 FR 61674. Paragraph B, 
subparagraphs (2)-(5), make technical corrections to the specially 
prepared product descriptions in certain notes to the HTSUS, 
specifically, U.S. notes (20)(xx)(17) and (47), published at 85 FR 
23122 (April 24, 2020), and U.S. notes (20)(yy)(54) and (65), published 
at 85 FR 27489 (May 8, 2020).
    As stated in the September 20, 2019 notice, the exclusions will 
apply from September 24, 2018 to August 7, 2020. U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection will issue instructions on entry guidance and 
implementation.
    The U.S. Trade Representative will continue to issue determinations 
on pending requests on a periodic basis.

ANNEX

    A. Effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or 
withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. 
eastern daylight time on September 24, 2018, and before August 7, 
2020, U.S. note 20(aaa) to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) is modified 
by inserting the following exclusions in numerical order after 
exclusion (78):
    (79) Motorboats with displacement hulls of reinforced fiberglass 
and wood, each motorboat measuring not less than 14.47 m and not 
more than 36.57 m in length and weighing not less than 28 t and not 
more than 363 t, powered by inboard engines, other than inboard/
outdrive (described in statistical reporting number 8903.92.0065)
    B. Effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or 
withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01

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a.m. eastern daylight time on September 24, 2018, subchapter III of 
chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
(HTSUS) is modified:
    a. U.S. note 20(mm)(30) to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is modified by 
deleting ``Ratcheting chain hoists,'' and inserting ``Ratcheting 
chain, rope or cable hoists,'' and by deleting ``such chain hoists 
not powered by an electric motor'' and inserting ``such hoists not 
powered by an electric motor'' in lieu thereof.
    b. U.S. note 20(xx)(17) to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is modified by 
deleting ``not more than 123 cm in length'' and inserting ``not more 
than 185 cm in length'' in lieu thereof.
    c. U.S. note 20(xx)(47) to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is modified by 
deleting ``measuring not less than 15 cm in width by 21 cm depth but 
not more than 41 cm in width by 25 cm in depth'' and inserting 
``measuring not less than 15 cm in width by 20 cm depth but not more 
than 41 cm in width by 32 cm in depth'' in lieu thereof.
    d. U.S. note 20(yy)(54) to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is modified by 
deleting ``, each measuring at least 610.1 cm by 10.1 cm by 10.1 cm 
but not more than 16.6 cm by 7.7 cm by 10.2 cm and weighing at least 
0.4 kg but not more than 1.4 kg, conforming to Association of 
American Railroads (``AAR'') specifications S-491, M-601 and RP-
5595''.
    e. U.S. note 20(yy)(65) to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is modified by 
deleting ``not more than 25.4 cm by 15.3 cm by 17.8 cm and weighing 
at least 9 kg and not more than 20.5 kg,'' and inserting ``not more 
than 42 cm by 34 cm by 115 cm and weighing at least 4 kg and not 
more than 22 kg,'' in lieu thereof.

Joseph Barloon,
General Counsel, Office of the United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2020-13596 Filed 6-23-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F0-P