International trade

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Is China bending on the Pacific Trade Pact?

Claude Barfield | May 31, 2013, 12:11 pm

It’s too early to render any definitive judgment, but Chinese officials may be signaling a change of stance regarding participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement — or it could just be a head feint before the June 6 California G-2 … read more >

Image Credit: G20Voice (Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

Economics, International economy

Obama’s selection of Michael Froman as US Trade Rep is an excellent choice

Claude Barfield | May 6, 2013, 11:53 am

No white smoke floated up from the White House when the president announced that he had chosen deputy security adviser Michael Froman as the new US Trade Representative; but there was a huge, collective sigh of relief from all elements … read more >

Carpe Diem

Think of ‘trade deficits’ as ‘job-generating, capital-creating foreign investment surpluses for a better America’

Mark J. Perry | March 14, 2013, 11:19 pm

The BEA released data today on US international transactions for the fourth quarter and for the year 2012. For all of last year, the US had a current account or “trade” deficit for goods and services of $475 billion, which … read more >

Economics, Foreign and Defense Policy, Europe and Russia

US-EU free trade in the State of the Union

Claude Barfield | February 13, 2013, 11:12 am

Last night in his State of the Union address, President Obama endorsed launching trade talks toward a US-EU free trade agreement. I will write in more detail in the American, but I want to flag a quick, brief reaction here: … read more >

Carpe Diem

The new age of America’s energy abundance: the top two US exports last year were: a) fuel oil and b) petroleum products

Mark J. Perry | February 8, 2013, 3:13 pm

Rank Top 10 US Exports, 2012 Billions 1 Fuel oil $60.2 2 Petroleum products $57.0 3 Pharmaceutical preparations $47.9 4 Industrial machines, other $46.1 5 Civilian aircraft $45.3 6 Semiconductors $42.1 7 Telecommunications equipment $38.3 8 Electric apparatus $38.2 9 … read more >

Carpe Diem

Milton Friedman explains why we should maximize imports, not maximize exports

Mark J. Perry | December 2, 2012, 10:51 pm

Image Credit: Rennett Stowe (Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

Foreign and Defense Policy, Latin America

Latin America is crucial to US competitiveness

Roger Noriega | October 22, 2012, 2:24 pm

A stable and prosperous Americas is indispensable to US economic success and security. read more >

Carpe Diem

Classic 1978 Milton Friedman lecture on international trade

Mark J. Perry | September 17, 2012, 2:38 pm

In this 1978 lecture at Kansas State University, Milton Friedman discusses free trade, and explains why trade protection and interference in international trade are so widespread, despite the almost universal condemnation of such measures by the economics profession. Professor Friedman … read more >

Carpe Diem

Quotation of the day: A duty is a tax on imports

Mark J. Perry | September 17, 2012, 8:51 am

From Don Boudreaux’s open letter to Mitt Romney: Your wish to “label China a currency manipulator” means that you seek a pretext to impose (as your website says) “countervailing duties” on imports from China – which is to say, you … read more >

Carpe Diem

Counteracting the recent outsourcing hysteria; Households ‘outsource’ every time they eat at a restaurant

Mark J. Perry | July 19, 2012, 6:22 pm

Another round of outsourcing hysteria is flaring up again, fueled by the China-made Olympic uniform controversy, claims by Obama and Democrats that Mitt Romney outsourced American jobs overseas during his days at Bain Capital, claims by Romney that some Obama … read more >