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BEIJING (Reuters) -Vessels owned or operated by U.S. firms and individuals, or those built in the United States or that fly the U.S. flag, will be charged additional port fees per voyage starting on Tuesday, China's transport ministry said.  The fees are a countermeasure against upcoming U.S. port fees on Chinese ships, the ministry said on Friday.  Also starting on October 14, ships built in China – or operated or owned by Chinese entities – will need to pay a fee at their first port of call in the United States. Fees could top $1 million for a ship carrying more than 10,000 containers, and could rise annually through 2028, according to analyst estimates. Vessels owned or operated by a Chinese entity will face a flat fee of $80 per net tonnage per voyage to the U.S.  CHINA CALLS U.S. FEES DISCRIMINATORY The U.S. fees on China-linked vessels, following a probe by the U.S. Trade Representative, are part of a broader U.S. effort to revive domestic shipbuilding and blunt China's naval and commercial shipping power. "It is clearly discriminatory and severely damages the legitimate interests of China's shipping industry, seriously disrupts the stability of the global supply chain, and seriously undermines the international economic and trade order," the Chinese ministry said.  Over the past two decades, China has catapulted itself to the No. 1 position in the shipbuilding world, with its biggest shipyards handling both commercial and military projects. The Chinese fees on U.S. vessels could hurt the U.S. less than the U.S. fees might harm the legion of Chinese ships.  The fees announced by China, like those put in place by the U.S., "add further complexity and cost to the global network that keeps goods moving and economies connected, and risk harming their exporters, producers, and consumers at a time when global trade is already under pressure," said Joe Kramek, president and CEO of the World Shipping Association. Last year, Chinese shipyards built more than 1,000 commercial vessels, while the U.S. constructed fewer than 10, according to military and industry analysts. RATES RISE OVER THREE YEARS For U.S. vessels berthing at Chinese ports from October 14, the rate will be 400 yuan ($56.13) per net tonne, the Chinese transport ministry said. That will increase to 640 yuan ($89.81) from April 17, 2026, and to 880 yuan ($123.52) from April 17, 2027.  For vessels calling at Chinese ports from April 17, 2028, the charge will be 1,120 yuan ($157.16) per net tonne. Tensions between China and the United States have started to deepen since September, with the two superpowers looking to be struggling to move beyond their current trade tariff truce – a 90-day pause from August 11 that ends around November 9.  Retaliatory tariffs in the U.S.-China trade war this year have sharply curtailed Chinese imports of U.S. agriculture and energy products. "There is not much impact likely on agriculture trade, but this step goes to show that China is still irritated with U.S. and they are not going to allow U.S. agricultural imports anytime soon," said one oilseed trader at an international company, which sells soybeans to China.  "You don't take such steps if you're trying to resolve matters. Chinese crushers might have to do without U.S. beans this year."  U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to meet as they attend Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in South Korea at the end of this month.  ($1 = 7.1241 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Ryan Woo in Beijing and Naveen Thukral in Singapore, additional reporting by Jonathan Saul in London; Editing by Kim Coghill, Kate Mayberry, Rod Nickel)

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BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazil's government unveiled a new real estate funding model on Friday that will eliminate mandatory reserve requirements at the central bank tied to savings accounts starting in January 2027. Until then, banks will continue to allocate 65% of savings deposits to housing loans, as currently required, the government said in a statement, but will be able to reduce compulsory deposits. (Reporting by Marcela Ayres; Editing by Mark Porter)

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By Marianna Parraga HOUSTON (Reuters) -Toronto-listed Gold Reserve said on Friday it has filed motions to disqualify a court officer and the judge overseeing an auction of shares in the parent of Venezuela-owned Citgo Petroleum, as well as two firms advising the Delaware court. The miner has been trying to prevent the court from declaring a $5.9 billion bid by rival Amber Energy, an affiliate of hedge fund Elliott Investment Management, as the auction's winner since its own $7.9 billion bid was not recommended in August. Gold Reserve is one of 15 creditors lining up to cash proceeds from the auction of shares in PDV Holding, a unit of Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA, as compensation for debt defaults and expropriations in Venezuela. GOLD RESERVE ALLEGES CONFLICTS OF INTEREST Gold Reserve has also requested a temporary stay of all decisions concerning any bids submitted in the sale process pending resolution of its disqualification motion. "Gold Reserve is seeking full transparency on these issues for its shareholders," it said in a release. The company is seeking to disqualify the Delaware judge overseeing the case, Leonard Stark, as well as court officer Robert Pincus, who switched his recommendation of the auction's winner to Elliott's Amber from Gold Reserve. Reuters could not immediately reach Stark for comment. A counsel for Pincus did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lawyers representing Venezuela had requested in September the suspension of an important sale hearing due to an alleged conflict of interest involving advising firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges. But Stark denied the motion. Gold Reserve is now requesting Weil be disqualified over an allegation it had been representing Elliott while the Citgo sale process was ongoing. The miner also said that Weil and Evercore, which is helping the court evaluate the bids, have ongoing relationships with some bondholders that could receive auction proceeds under Elliott's bid. Weil and Evercore did not immediately reply to requests for comment. The motions were filed under seal on Thursday, with the Venezuelan parties also filing motions to disqualify Pincus, Weil and Evercore. Judge Stark has set a court hearing for October 21 to listen to the parties over the conflicts that have emerged since Pincus switched his recommendation. He is expected to issue a final ruling on the winner after that. (Reporting by Marianna Parraga; Editing by Mark Potter and Joe Bavier)

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