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International Issues Update

By November 18, 2022No Comments

ON OUR DESKS

  • Participated in State Department listening session on upcoming UNEA plastics treaty negotiations
  • Assisted with company meetings with foreign embassies
  • Advised on the outlook of U.S-China relations

How can we help you? Email any IBC counsellor for assistance or consult our issues list to find the expert you’re looking for.

WIBC DISCUSSIONS

In case you missed it:

  • November 16: Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources and former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt, International energy policy

Up next: Register for upcoming WIBC discussions here

  • November 22: Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for India Nancy Izzo Jackson, the Administration’s economic and political priorities in India
  • November 28: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration Matthew Borman, export controls – priorities and the road ahead

WIBC discussions are open to WIBC members only. Not a member? Contact Christina for membership inquiries.

YOU NEED TO KNOW

China 

President Biden met with Chinese President Xi for three hours on the sidelines of the G20 this week to discuss managing competition between the two countries. According to the U.S. readout, the two leaders talked about their differences on China’s non-market economic practices, Taiwan, Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and Russia’s war in Ukraine, while the two sides agreed to reinvigorate collaboration on “climate change, global macroeconomic stability including debt relief, health security, and global food security.” Beijing’s readout, by contrast, extensively reiterated the PRC’s position on Taiwan, downplayed any competition that could impede “growing China-U.S. relations,” and protested U.S. trade and technology actions against China. 

Following the meeting between the two presidents, the White House announced that Secretary of State Blinken will travel to China in early 2023 to follow up on the conversation. Despite this renewed engagement, two reports were issued this week that cast doubt on prospects for U.S.-China rapprochement.

The U.S.-China Economic And Security Review Commission (USCC) released its annual report to Congress on November 15. The Executive Summary of the report highlighted 10 high-priority policy recommendations for Congress, including: investigating and possibly revoking China’s Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status, creating a new EOP office “to ensure resilient U.S. supply chains and robust domestic capabilities,” and launching a new interagency committee to develop plans for the imposition of sanctions in event of a conflict between Taiwan and China. 

The separate Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), chaired by U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and U.S. Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA), released its annual report on human rights conditions and rule of law developments in the PRC. The report highlights China’s continued trend towards repression of civil rights and widespread abuse of minority groups. 

Contact: Pat Sheehy, Ethan Knecht

G20 

Leaders from the G20 held their annual summit from November 15-16 in Bali, Indonesia. The Indonesian government had originally intended for its host year to feature pandemic and economic recovery under the theme of “Recover Together, Recover Stronger.” This was overshadowed by Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and the resulting shocks to global food and energy security. Participants issued a statement following the meeting highlighting these issues and noting that “most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine.”  The Leaders’ Declaration noted that while “the G20 is not the forum to resolve security issues, we acknowledge that security issues can have significant consequences for the global economy.” 

On the sidelines of the G20, President Biden and his EU counterparts held a meeting and announced progress on their previously announced Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). President Biden announced a series of updates on the initiative and new projects related to digital infrastructure in the Pacific, critical mineral supply chains in Brazil, and health infrastructure in India. The United States, EU, and Indonesia also announced a Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) “to mobilize an initial $20 billion in public and private financing over a three-to-five-year period” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support communities impacted by climate change. 

Contact: Pat Sheehy, Ethan Knecht

COP 27 

The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) released its 20-page draft agreement covering everything from cutting greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation) to human rights, technology and food. The most contentious issues remaining – how to stay within the limit of a 1.5C global temperature rise and how to help finance poor countries to adapt to the effects of the climate crisis – are missing from the document.

After there was no agreement on the last day of COP27, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who chairs COP27, reportedly announced that negotiations would extend another day to end on Saturday, November 19.   On November 18, the EU offered to tie disaster funding with emissions reductions. New language was also proposed by India and generally backed by island nations, the United States and the EU that would call for a phase-down of all fossil fuels — not just coal but also oil and gas. “Natural gas and oil also lead to emission of greenhouse gasses. Making only one fuel the villain is not right,” according to a source in India’s delegation. 

Initiatives by like minded coalitions were announced throughout the week, including:

  • The United States launched the Net-Zero Government Initiative to achieve net-zero emissions from national government operations by no later than 2050. So far, 18 countries have signed onto the initiative.
  • Ministers from Brazil, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a cooperation agreement to establish a funding mechanism to protect their rainforests while supporting the economies of their forest communities. 

Contact: Chris Benscher

Quick takes

  • Australia announced that the first in-person negotiating round for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) will take place in Brisbane from December 10-15, 2022.
  • The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) issued its report cataloging the distributional effects of trade and trade policy on underrepresented and underserved communities on November 14.  As requested by USTR, the report reviews research on the effects of trade liberalization on various groups by education and skill levels, gender, and race/ethnicity, and notes a gap in literature with regard to trade in services.
  • The Black Sea Grain Initiative was renewed for four months on November 17. The agreement was renewed without changes. Russia has sought to include the export of ammonia piped to Black Sea ports as part of the next renewal.
  • On separate trips this week, State Department Under Secretary Victoria Nuland and Assistant Secretary Brian Nichols traveled to Colombia, Jamaica, Ecuador, Uruguay, and Chile for bilateral dialogues. In the latter four countries, U.S. officials discussed trade and investment issues.

NOTICES, BILLS & HEARINGS

Federal Register Notices

Newly-introduced legislation

House

  • H.R.9340 (Joyce, R-OH) Would establish the U.S. Foundation for International Conservation to promote long-term management of protected and conserved areas.
  • H.R.9322 (Thomas, D-NY) Would authorize normal trade relations treatment for the products of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.
  • H.R.9292 (French, R-AR) Would provide pilot authority for the United States to waive voice and vote requirements in international financial institutions. 

Senate

  • S.5134 (Coons, D-DE) Would establish the U.S. Foundation for International Conservation to promote long-term management of protected and conserved areas.
  • S.5122 (Rubio, R-FL) Would provide greater scrutiny to the consideration of visa applications for Chinese Communist Party members.
  • S.5090 (Fischer, R-NE) Would require the Administrator of the Maritime Administration to publicly report cargo preference data annually.
  • S.5082 (Hawley, R-MO) Would impose sanctions against General Secretary Xi Jinping and other senior officials of the Chinese Communist Party complicit in the perpetration of genocide and other crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

WHO’S WHO

Arrivals

  • Alison MacDonald, Chief of Staff for Senator Shaheen (D-NH) 
  • Chris Dodd, State Department Special Presidential Adviser for the Americas
  • Dean Karlan, USAID Chief Economist
  • John Kraus, HHS DAS for Public Affairs and Public Health
  • Monde Muyangwa, USAID Assistant Administrator for Africa
  • Ron Storhaug, Treasury DAS for Tax and Budget
  • Tressa Guenov, DOD Acting PDAS for International Security Affairs

Departures

  • Chris Magnus, CBP Commissioner

Want more scoops on personnel moves? Find the most recent Who’s Who here.

UPCOMING EVENTS

  • FIFA World Cup opens (Qatar), November 20
  • Kazakh Presidential elections, November 20
  • Pacific Alliance Summit (Mexico City), November 23-25

Looking farther ahead? Find the most recent full international events calendar here.

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