| The following GAIN reports were released on February 26, 2025. _______ To raise awareness and promote compliance in the business community ahead of the January 1, 2026, implementation deadline, Health Canada launched an information campaign for the upcoming front-of-package nutrition labeling (FOPNL) requirement for foods high in sugar, sodium, and/or saturated fats. China's social media platforms, such as Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and Kuaishou, are rapidly evolving and becoming key channels for consumer information and purchasing decisions. These platforms are tightly integrated with shopping and livestreaming, offering unique opportunities for U.S. agricultural exporters to reach Chinese consumers. This report will detail important social media platforms, offer strategy and marketing tips, highlight trends, and describe challenges of using Chinese social media channels. On February 10, 2025, the National Health Commission (NHC) announced approvals for 20 new food materials and additives, three of which are products derived from Genetically Modified Microorganisms (GMMs). On December 13, NHC announced approval of 11 new food materials and additives, four of which were products derived from GMMs. This report provides a summary of the newly approved food materials and additives from the two announcements. This report is designed to be an introduction to the political, economic, and trade situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The DRC is the second largest country in Africa and boasts one of the largest population on the continent. The population is young, with almost half being under 14 years of age. In the not-distant future, this country will be an important player in the food and agriculture space, as both a potential producer and competitor as well as an important export market. European and regional competitors are already dominant in this exceptionally import-dependent market. U.S. agricultural exports to the Dominican Republic reached an all-time record of $2.2 billion in 2024; a 6 percent increase from the previous record set in 2022. The increase was driven mainly by strong demand for consumer-oriented products. The top U.S. agricultural export category to the Dominican Republic in 2024 was pork and pork products, reaching $277 million in 2024. The growing demand for pork products is a direct reflection of the severe impact of African Swine Fever (ASF) on local swine production. The rise in demand for other meat products and consumer-oriented products was driven by an increase in the number of tourists visiting the country in 2024. Dominican exports to neighboring Haiti were also a driver. On February 18, 2025, the Philippines notified the World Trade Organization Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade of the Department of Finance's Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 001-2025. The JAO provides the implementing guidelines of the pre-border technical verification (PTV) and cross-border electronic invoicing (CEI) of all imported commodities. According to the JAO, the PTV and CEI implementation will commence 30 days after the Philippine Bureau of Customs publishes the specific rules, known as the Customs Administrative Order (CAO), for PTV and CEI. As of February 21, 2025, there has been no public announcement regarding the formulation of the CAOs, especially a schedule for public consultations. The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka's (Sri Lanka) Ministry of Health and Mass Media extended the implementation effective date of the Food (Color Coding for Sugar Levels-Liquids) Regulations (2022) from January 1, 2025 to July 1, 2025. The Sri Lankan government notified the extension in the Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka – Extraordinary (official gazette) on December 28, 2024. The current Food (Color Coding for Sugar Levels) Regulations (2016) are in place until July 01, 2025, allowing additional time for industry to comply with the new regulations (2022). The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka's (Sri Lanka) Ministry of Health and Mass Media extended the implementation date of Food (Labeling and Advertising) Regulations (2022) from January 1, 2025 to July 1, 2025, except Regulations 13 (16), 13 (17), 13 (18), and 14. The Sri Lankan government notified the new regulations in the Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka – Extraordinary (official gazette) on December 28, 2024. This amendment allows additional time for industry to adjust to the new food labeling and advertising regulations. The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka's (Sri Lanka) Ministry of Health and Mass Media extended the implementation effective date of the Food (Trans Fat) Regulations (2022) from January 1, 2025 to July 1, 2025. The Sri Lankan government notified the extension in the Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka – Extraordinary (official gazette) on December 28, 2024. For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit gain.fas.usda.gov/. | 
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