trade
How will free-trade fare under the Trump administration? Trade thoughts and opinion about negotiations, embargo, what works and what doesn't..
The Fate of China’s Belt and Road Initiative
In 2013, Xi Jinping, the President of China, revealed plans of vast trade and infrastructure project which would traverse three continents, during state visits to Kazakhstan and Indonesia, much to the chagrin of Japan and the United States. The project was initially christened One Belt, One Road, but was later renamed to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It was based on the Silk Road, a historical trade route that was named after the main commodity traded during those times — Chinese Silk. The project had two divisions — a land route and a maritime route. But as of 2020, the pieces of this dream are falling fast, as more participating countries show scepticism. Here are some reasons why:
By Mythili Iyer5 years ago in The Swamp
What Really Happened with the Off and On-Again US-China Trade Talks?
Both the US and China are struggling to recover from the woes of a health care and economic crisis. This is not a good time for either country to escalate trade tensions. The last thing either country needs at the moment is to cause financial market, business or consumer sentiment turn negative at the moment. That would surely slow the recovery process for both countries. As a case in point, witness the reaction of US and Global financial markets when they heard White House Advisor Peter Navarro hint that the Phase 1 trade deal with China was over. Not surprisingly, the retraction and clarifications came swiftly from both U.S. President Trump and Mr. Navarro indicating that the statement was not true and that the Phase 1 trade deal remained solidly on track.
By Anthony Chan6 years ago in The Swamp
Is it time to abolish the Eurozone?
For quite an incomprehensible reason, there exists a deeply-rooted, almost untouchable idea that the Eurozone is an indispensable monetary union without which Europe would be unimaginably less prosperous, more unstable and divided. Any time when someone attempts to suggest that the Euro is not beneficial to certain European nations and that in fact it brings about a variety of disadvantages and limitations, the response is one of disbelief and perception of the anti-Euro position as outrageously reactionary and even somehow revolting. Fully prepared to undergo such a reaction again, I will outline the arguments against the Eurozone in its current state, for the mere reason that I believe that it is doing too much damage to be ignored and dismissed as a ‘populist’ excuse for ‘greater and more complicated problems’.
By Victor Arutyunov6 years ago in The Swamp
How the US-China Trade War Affects the Rest of the World
The first to react has been Google, which can no longer provide its Android services to Huawei. This means that the largest mobile vendor in Spain cannot continue to offer Google Play and other Google applications with their new terminals, something unimaginable for anyone using an Android today.
By creatorsklub7 years ago in The Swamp
Is China More Innovative Than United States
Lately, there have been a lot of challenges and serious setbacks facing many economies. Notably, the US economy has had a good share of such setbacks for it to have emerged the top superpower nation. Regarding all those challenges, one of the significant points of concern to its economy is science and technological innovations. The US has prospered in this department up to even being the leading innovative nation as well. Furthermore, it is crucial since it is what mainly fuels its economy.
By john mburu7 years ago in The Swamp
An Introduction to 'Made in China 2025'
China is already a world leader in manufacturing, but they want to take the lead in high-tech manufacturing. To achieve this, they are mobilizing state-owned businesses, gathering intellectual property, and cultivating new technologies to catch up and then surpass the West.
By Anna Kucirkova7 years ago in The Swamp
How Exactly DO You Get 'Made in the USA' Goods?
It is hard to find solid "Made in the USA" goods. Go to any store, and you cannot easily do this. Goods are from other places all the time. Yes, it is difficult to find "Made in the USA" products in your house or at the store. Sure, the United States manufactures stuff like medical equipment, airplanes, movies, pharmaceuticals and agricultural products, but still, all this means is that we are barely caught up to the rest of the world. We need to set up "Made in the USA" goods to beat other countries.
By Iria Vasquez-Paez8 years ago in The Swamp
Why Everything Is Made in China These Days
Seriously, you can’t even find a decent American flag that is made in America these days. I’m not kidding. Go to any store, look around. You cannot find anything made in the USA. We Americans have a retail habit. We like keeping the institution of the store around. Yes, China is developing a huge manufacturing industry, but only because Made in the USA is a rare, hard to find breed, while “Made in China,” is everywhere.
By Iria Vasquez-Paez8 years ago in The Swamp
Diamonds Are Nice but Conflict Minerals Are Forever
“In America, it's bling-bling, but here in Africa, it’s bling-bang,” says a cool Leonardo Di Caprio in a very well done South African accent. The 2006 drama Blood Diamond set in Sierra Leone features a South African mercenary turned blood diamond smuggler played by Di Caprio and follows his quest for the “largest diamond he’s ever seen.” The intent of the film was not to draw attention to the blood diamond industry but the writer, Charles Leavitt, decided that he wanted to portray the diamond industry accurately. In particular, he managed to piss off global diamond industry giant De Beers, a company that specializes in jewelry, diamond exploration, and diamond mining. For those who don’t know, De Beers quite literally invented the engagement ring. The film managed to actually use De Beers as the “greater evil” that would eventually purchase the diamond sought by Di Caprio’s character. In order to really appreciate the film, you must first understand the subject matter, blood diamonds.
By Chris Vanderburgh8 years ago in The Swamp
Diamonds – Not a Girl's Best Friend Anymore?
Diamond. Upon hearing the word, many people think of it as a symbol of status, wealth, and love. However, what people are often unaware of is the bloodshed that accompanies the production of these gems. Through unethical practises, woman and children are tormented, workers are exploited, and the environment is degraded. When a diamond is produced in such a manner, it is considered a blood diamond, or a conflict diamond.
By Meta Sheep9 years ago in The Swamp
