ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - January 21, 2025

ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - January 21, 2025

ZeroFox physical security experts collect, curate, and analyze information derived from open and proprietary sources for comprehensive context of the circumstances surrounding global events. Here is today’s daily roundup of major developments.

Brief Highlights

• China Imposes Provisional Duties on U.S., EU, Japan, Taiwan Industrial Plastics
• United States Intends to Withdraw From the World Health Organization
• Mexican National Extradited to the United States for Involvement in an International Human Smuggling Operation

China Imposes Provisional Duties on U.S., EU, Japan, Taiwan Industrial Plastics

China’s Commerce Ministry announced it would impose provisional levies on imports of industrial plastics from the United States, European Union (EU), Japan, and Taiwan after an anti-dumping probe. The provisional anti-dumping duties on polyacetal copolymers range from 3.8 percent to 74.9 percent depending on the country and company and will take effect from January 24, 2025. The highest duties will apply to U.S. firms, while the EU, Taiwan, and Japan will face duties of 42 percent, 32.6 percent, and 43.7 percent, respectively. China launched the investigation in May 2024, the same week that the United States increased tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and the EU initiated a trade probe into certain Chinese steel imports. The provisional levies were announced just days before President Donald Trump was due to take office, and he threatened tariff hikes on Chinese imports.

United States Intends to Withdraw From the World Health Organization

The United States intends to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO). The Presidential Letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations signed on January 20, 2021, that retracted the United States’ July 6, 2020, notification of withdrawal is revoked. While withdrawal is in progress, the Secretary of State will cease negotiations on the WHO Pandemic Agreement and the amendments to the International Health Regulations, and actions taken to effectuate such agreement and amendments will have no binding force on the United States. This is one of the many announcements President Trump made when he was sworn in on January 20.

Mexican National Extradited to the United States for Involvement in an International Human Smuggling Operation

Cooperation efforts between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities resulted in the extradition of a human smuggler who allegedly participated in an international human smuggling conspiracy. The individual is charged with one count of conspiracy to bring a migrant to the United States at a place other than a designated port of entry and three counts of bringing a migrant to the United States without authorization and for the purpose of commercial advantage and private financial gain.