The weekly trade report with correspondent L.C. After berating Japan for “it” in the 1980s and China for “it” during the past decade, Congress and the White House have decided to join the party of sinners — “it” being industrial policy. This is a really sexy new idea — only four centuries old. In the […]
Lighthizer calls for US industrial policy
The weekly trade report by L.C. Addressing the Economic Club of New York on June 4th, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer declared: “After the [pandemic] crisis is over, we have to have an industrial policy that assures the US has in any future crisis the ability to manufacture at home all the things that we […]
President’s China trade optimism encounters skepticism
Trade correspondent L.C. writes: There was no great surprise yesterday, Feb. 24th, when President Trump tweeted that he has decided to delay the 10% to 25% hike on tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese exports to the US. The president explained: I am pleased to report that the U.S. has made substantial progress in our […]
Will China implement structural reforms or just increase US imports?
Trade correspondent L.C. reports: Chinese Vice Premier Liu He came to Washington on January 30-31 and met with President Trump the second day. According to US sources and the public comments of US officials, no specific agreements were reached and the two sides remain far apart on the US’s structural issues of key concern: forced […]
Strategic materials war with China, US free trade negotiations with allies
Trade correspondent L.C. reports: The White House formally notified Congress on October 16th that it intends to begin free trade negotiations with three important allied trading partners: Japan, the EU, and the UK. Allied solidarity is crucial as China rushes to lock up strategic raw materials worldwide while resisting US efforts to reform its state-dominated […]
