China and India may lag the West in technical space capabilities, particularly in areas like satellite power-to-mass ratios and payload characteristics, but are quickly catching up, and both nations are likely to intensify their focuses on space in the future as routes to economic growth and strategic influence, Northern Sky Research analyst Carolyn Belle blogged Sunday. The increased capabilities will mean increased competition for the satellite market value chain, including manufacturing, launch, satellite operations, analytics and end-user services, she said. Both countries have been dominated by state-owned and -operated players, but support for private-sector activities is growing, she said.

A German court will revisit its ruling in ICANN's case against domain registrar EPAG, ICANN blogged. The injunctive action, filed in May in the Regional Court in Bonn, asked for "assistance in interpreting" the EU general data protection regulation after EPAG said it will no longer collect registrants' administrative and technical contact information when it sells new domain names, for fear of violating the regulation (see 1805280001). The court ruled against ICANN (see 1805310014), which then appealed for an order requiring EPAG to reinstate collection of the data. The regional court had the option of re-evaluating or reaffirming its decision and chose the former to seek comment from EPAG, ICANN said Thursday. It's "pursuing this matter as part of its public interest role in coordinating a decentralized global WHOIS for the generic top-level domain [gTLD] system," ICANN said. Separately, the International Trademark Association said Tuesday it will continue to push for full access to Whois information. ICANN's "temporary specification" for gTLD registration, approved May 17 (see 1805140001), "seriously limits the amount of publicly available information and only provides an anonymous email address or web form from which an email could be forwarded rather than a live contact," INTA said. While the organization recognizes the importance of personal privacy, trademark owners need continued access to all Whois data to protect consumers online, said INTA Senior Director-Internet Policy Lori Schulman.

ICANN is seeking input on a draft framework for continued access to full Whois data (see 1805180055), President Göran Marby blogged. He noted European data protection authorities told ICANN it must develop, in accordance with the general data protection regulation, a system that allows legitimate uses by stakeholders such as law enforcement of the full personal data of domain name registrants but that doesn't grant unlimited access. The framework asks questions to shape discussion of how the model might work, such as how and which users with a legitimate purpose can access the non-public data, he said Monday. ICANN wants to start by talking with governments in the European economic area that are also members of the Governmental Advisory Committee, he said. Questions for discussion with officials include how law enforcement, individual Whois users and other private third parties might be authenticated to access the nonpublic registration data. ICANN also intends to discuss the framework with the European Data Protection Board, Marby said. He urged stakeholders to comment at gdpr@icann.org, and said the topic is on the agenda at the ICANN June 25-28 meeting in Panama.

The Trump administration’s plan to impose Trade Act Section 301 tariffs of 25 percent on Chinese imports “may have gotten China’s attention," but they’re "unlikely to change China’s conduct -- and will cause significant collateral damage in the process,” the Progressive Policy Institute reported. The duties, though applied to “Chinese-origin” products, “would be paid by Americans and impose serious costs on the U.S. economy,” it said. A “smarter strategy” to “confront China’s mercantilism” would be for the U.S. “to work more closely with its trade partners” to curb the allegedly “abusive” trade behavior, said PPI. “China’s unfair policies and practices seriously threaten innovative businesses in many countries, and they -- and their governments -- can be key allies in pushing back.” It’s difficult to build a coalition against China when the administration “needlessly antagonizes allies,” as it did when it imposed steel and aluminum tariffs against them, it said. The U.S. also needs to “speak with a single voice” in “focused, results-oriented” trade negotiations with China, said the report. The administration “should designate a single, high-level official to negotiate with China about core trade issues related to China’s unfair innovation practices,” it said. “This official should also actively seek cooperation from allies on those issues.”

Stakeholders blasted President Donald Trump's threats to impose new Trade Act Section 301 tariffs of 10 percent on an additional $200 billion worth of goods from China. CompTIA has “no doubt that China needs to be held accountable” for unfair trade practices, said Elizabeth Hyman, executive vice president-public advocacy. “But additional tariffs are cutting off our nose to spite our face,” she said Tuesday. “Rather than using the blunt instrument of tariffs on China, more energy should be devoted to working with the U.S. Congress to develop productive solutions." China's retaliatory decision to impose 25 percent tariffs on $34 billion in U.S. imports, mirroring the administration’s Section 301 tariffs announced Friday (see 1806150030), shows China "has no intention of changing its unfair practices related to the acquisition of American intellectual property and technology," said Trump Monday. Trump directed U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to “identify” $200 billion worth of Chinese goods for additional 10 percent tariffs.

The International Trade Commission issued a general exclusion order banning imports of all collapsible sockets for mobile devices that infringe patents held by PopSockets, it said Tuesday. The ITC began the underlying Trade Act Section 337 investigation in May 2017 (docket 337-TA-1056), based on PopSockets allegations that more than a dozen companies in China were manufacturing and importing the cellphone accessories, which can be used as a grip for mobile phones, as a stand to position them on a surface or for cord management. The ITC set bond at 100 percent of entered value for covered merchandise while the Trump administration evaluates the exclusion order. PopSockets didn't comment.

Enactment of the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act (HR-4943/S-2383) and the Supreme Court’s subsequent dismissal of the U.S. v. Microsoft “Ireland Warrant” case (see 1803230038 and 1804170040) mean more work ahead to determine the future of cross-border data rules, blogged Cisco Director-Cybersecurity and Privacy Eric Wenger. The act doesn't grant the U.S. government “sweeping new powers to reach data stored abroad,” as “governments have long claimed such authority,” Wenger said. “There is nothing specific in either the language of the [Cloud] Act or the leading decisions preceding its passage treating U.S. companies differently than companies headquartered abroad." There is “more work needed to ensure” the act and EU’s proposed e-evidence regulation “function effectively for law enforcement while protecting civil liberties,” Wenger said Friday. “To the extent authorities around the world spell out the circumstances under which they will directly compel providers to produce data stored beyond their borders, it is essential that they also address the potential conflicts of law with third countries.”

Google will invest $550 million in JD.com, China’s second-largest e-commerce site behind Alibaba, in a strategic partnership to reach Asia-Pacific consumers who are “ready to buy, but hard to please,” blogged Karim Temsamani, Google president-Asia-Pacific operations. The companies will explore new ways retailers can make shopping “effortless” and personalized for consumers, he said. JD.com will join Google Shopping and bring products to consumers in regions worldwide, Temsamani said. Asia-Pacific is one of the largest and fastest growing e-commerce markets, said the executive, with people in southeast Asia expected to spend $88.1 billion online annually by 2025.

Fossil watches that depend on a Bluetooth connection to a smartphone for timekeeping are best classified as smartwatches based on the radio transceiver, said Customs and Border Protection in a newly posted April 30 ruling. Fossil lawyers asked CBP in October 2016 for a “binding ruling” on the classification of Fossil Q hybrid smartwatches under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, said the agency. CBP responded that the Fossil Q lacks mechanical or quartz watch movements and instead uses its Bluetooth connection to set the time. Before a Bluetooth connection is made, "the watch hands are completely inactive,” it said. “Not only are they unmoving, but they cannot be actuated or manually adjusted by the user." Once the watch is paired via Bluetooth to a mobile device, the time is automatically synchronized, CBP said. "From that point forward, the Fossil Q autonomously keeps the time of that zone throughout any interruptions to the connection with the mobile application," it said. "However, even following initial synchronization, the time cannot be adjusted manually by the user. Instead, any adjustments to the watch hands -- based, for example, on a change in time zone -- are orchestrated automatically by the mobile application." Friday, the company didn’t comment.

May retail sales at electronics and appliance stores increased 2.8 percent year over year, said the National Retail Federation Thursday. Online and other non-store sales rose 9.1 percent. “The economy is looking strong and households have a solid financial foundation,” it said. Tariffs on Chinese imports or a trade war with China (see 1806130087) “would certainly be negatives that would increase prices and reduce both consumer purchasing power and consumer confidence,” it said.