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Tag: China

  • ‘Made in America’ Claims Rise as Brands Navigate Crackdown

    ‘Made in America’ Claims Rise as Brands Navigate Crackdown

    A Reuters investigation reports a growing wave of vape brands promoting “Made in America” credentials as the U.S. market faces tougher enforcement against unlicensed products, particularly those linked to Chinese manufacturers. The article says at least eight new brands have emerged since October, emphasizing U.S. identity, despite lacking authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which has approved only a limited number of vaping products for sale.

    According to the report, trademark filings show some of these brands are tied to Chinese or Hong Kong interests, suggesting the marketing shift may be aimed at avoiding scrutiny from customs officials amid heightened trade tensions and regulatory pressure under the administration of Donald Trump. Analysts cited by Reuters say the tactic could slow efforts to push consumers from the illicit to the regulated vape market.

    The story also highlights that China remains the dominant supplier of vapes to the U.S., with trade data showing exports worth over $4 billion in 2025, even as companies experiment with partial U.S. production or American-themed branding to adapt to tariffs, enforcement actions, and changing consumer perceptions.

  • Smart Glass Exposes Smokers in Shenzhen Malls Restrooms

    Smart Glass Exposes Smokers in Shenzhen Malls Restrooms

    Two shopping centers in Shenzhen, China, have fitted men’s restroom cubicles with smart glass doors that turn transparent when smoke is detected, aiming to stop visitors from smoking inside toilets. The system was introduced in August 2025 at the Shuibei International Center and Gold Plaza. Sensors trigger the glass to clear if cigarette smoke is present, exposing the occupant and discouraging the behavior.

    A staff member at Gold Plaza said the measure has drawn positive feedback from shop owners and shoppers, who say it helps maintain cleaner, smoke-free facilities.

  • Luxembourg One of the Gateways China Uses to Flood EU With E-Cigs

    Luxembourg One of the Gateways China Uses to Flood EU With E-Cigs

    A new study by the Fraunhofer Institute calls Luxembourg one of four “gateway countries” that China uses to saturate the grey and black markets of Europe with e-cigarettes, along with Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Uwe Veres-Homm, head of risk and location analysis at Fraunhofer IIS, said more than 90% of e-cigarettes in the EU originate from China’s “global epicenter,” Shenzhen, where regulations for exported products are much more lenient than those staying in China. Regulatory import loopholes allow products that are legal, illegal, and/or improperly taxed and labeled to flood together, and once processed by customs in Luxembourg, they are considered EU goods and can enter the market elsewhere, he said.

    The study found that half of the e-cigarettes consumed in Luxembourg come from “irregular sources,” and said Luxembourg is attractive not only because of its strategic location, but also because it has low e-liquid taxes (€0.10/ml).

    The study concluded that banning e-cigarettes would not eliminate the grey and black markets and suggested harmonized EU standards and involving Chinese manufacturers to comply with EU laws as the products are being made.

  • Lawsuit Says Marketing Compromises Chinese Vape Company

    Lawsuit Says Marketing Compromises Chinese Vape Company

    A U.S. plaintiff has filed suit against Chinese vape manufacturer Shenzhen IVPS Technology Co. Ltd. in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, alleging harms linked to the company’s marketing and sales of e-cigarettes in North Carolina. The manufacturer is seeking to dismiss the case, arguing that its operations do not establish sufficient ties to the state for the court to assert jurisdiction. The plaintiff maintains that the company’s active promotion and sale of its products in North Carolina bring it squarely within the court’s reach.

  • China Regulator Orders Vape Makers to Halt New Plants

    China Regulator Orders Vape Makers to Halt New Plants

    China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration ordered e-cigarette manufacturers to halt new factory construction and suspend investment projects as part of efforts to curb price competition and address industry overcapacity, Reuters reported. In a notice issued today (Feb. 13), the regulator said capacity utilization across the sector is already high and warned companies against bypassing the directive by building facilities labeled for other products that are ultimately used to produce e-cigarettes.

    The regulator said manufacturers may only expand production if they can demonstrate genuine necessity or prove output is focused on export markets. The notice also bans producers from transferring supply quotas to unlicensed firms or disguising e-cigarette expansion through investment in other product lines, though it allows companies to restructure capacity through mergers. Authorities added that production lines and approved output for e-cigarettes must be clearly separated from those used for heated tobacco products and smoking accessories.

  • China Cracking Down on Smuggled NK Cigarettes as Demand Grows

    China Cracking Down on Smuggled NK Cigarettes as Demand Grows

    China has intensified enforcement against the smuggling of North Korean cigarettes, handing prison sentences and fines to traffickers and expanding investigations to target the entire illicit supply chain, but demand for the products among Chinese consumers remains strong, according to sources cited by Daily NK. Recent cases in Dandong saw smugglers sentenced to two years in prison and fined 200,000 yuan ($41,000), as authorities increased pressure on storage and retail networks, discouraging merchants from handling North Korean tobacco even when legally imported. Despite the crackdown, North Korean cigarette manufacturers are expanding product ranges—introducing slim formats, varied tar levels, and competitively priced offerings—to sustain demand in China, with observers suggesting that continued consumer appetite is likely to keep illicit distribution active despite tighter controls.

  • Nepal Confiscates 16K Illicit Vapes at Mountain Border

    Nepal Confiscates 16K Illicit Vapes at Mountain Border

    Nepalese authorities seized e-cigarettes valued at Rs 22.4 million ($155,000) at the Korala border, underscoring continued enforcement against illegal vape trade. The Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and Mustang Customs Office intercepted a container carrying 16,000 vape units on Monday (January 12) evening, with the driver taken into custody and the vehicle impounded. The seizure follows a similar operation last year at the same transit point—a high-altitude crossing point with China’s Tibet Region—where vapes worth Rs 68.1 million ($470,000) were confiscated, highlighting persistent smuggling activity along the border.

  • Philippines Seizes $1.9M in Counterfeit Cigarettes

    Philippines Seizes $1.9M in Counterfeit Cigarettes

    The Philippine Bureau of Customs seized an estimated P105.58 million ($1.9 million) worth of illicit cigarettes in Bataan, uncovering more than 1,000 master cases transported in 12 vehicles and traced to shipments originating from China, Vietnam, and South Korea. Authorities said the cigarettes—bearing brands including Modern, RGD, Nise Baisha, and President—were intended for distribution in northern and central Luzon, underscoring ongoing enforcement challenges as Customs intensifies its anti-smuggling campaign amid revenue shortfalls and a higher 2026 collection target.

  • China Scrutinizing Vape Industry

    China Scrutinizing Vape Industry

    China’s e-cigarette industry is entering a new round of regulatory tightening, with multiple draft policies recently opened for public consultation, according to China Business Network. Last week, the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) released draft rules on credit management for e-cigarette manufacturers and wholesale enterprises, proposing a formal credit system that covers information collection, ratings, public disclosure, penalties for dishonesty, and credit restoration. Under the draft, companies would be graded A to D, with lower-rated firms facing stricter scrutiny on capacity expansion, investment approvals, and even licensing. This follows a STMA draft policy in December aimed at maintaining a dynamic balance between supply and demand, reinforcing total capacity control, and largely prohibiting new capacity additions except under tightly defined conditions.

    Together with earlier moves — including the solicitation of 2026 national e-cigarette standards and the State Council’s December call for tougher crackdowns on tobacco-related illegal activities — the measures signal a push toward more standardized, compliance-driven industry governance. Industry observers say the policies build on the regulatory framework established in 2021, when e-cigarettes were brought under tobacco-style supervision, and are intended to curb disorderly competition, raise compliance thresholds, and accelerate industry consolidation.

  • Habanos S.A. Co-Owner Extradited to China

    Habanos S.A. Co-Owner Extradited to China

    Billionaire businessman Chen Zhi was extradited by Cambodia to his native China following his arrest over an alleged multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency scam tied to human trafficking and forced labor, a case underscoring growing regulatory and enforcement risks across Southeast Asia’s consumer and logistics sectors. Cambodian authorities said Chen and two other Chinese nationals were detained yesterday (January 6) after a months-long transnational investigation and handed over to Chinese officials.

    Chen Zhi is believed to have extensive ties to the cigar and tobacco industry, owning or having owned stakes in companies such as Habanos S.A., Tabacalera USA, Tabacalera S.L., Tabacalera de García, and La Flor de Copán, among others, either directly or through shell corporations.

    U.S. prosecutors previously charged Chen Zhi with orchestrating global online scams from Cambodia, leading to the seizure of roughly $14 billion in bitcoin, one of the largest financial crackdowns on record. His business empire, Prince Group—previously sanctioned by the U.K.—has denied involvement in scams.