Global Cargo is Leaving on a Jet Plane
Air cargo (sometimes carried by passenger flight) is critical infrastructure that is moving medical supplies where they are needed most to fight the coronavirus.
Driving Congress to Act on National Security Tariffs
Imported autos are being targeted with tariffs for “national security” reasons – but why? Congress introduced bipartisan bills to restrain the administration’s use of Section 232 tariffs. In a still-confidential 2019 report, the Department reportedly found that imported autos like the Volkswagon GTI “threaten to impair the national security” and recommended that the president impose tariffs as high as 25 percent.
America’s Favorite Hog is Driving U.S.-India Trade Relations
Harley-Davidson wants to grow international sales of its iconic motorcycles. But tariffs have thrown a monkey-wrench into those plans. Tariffs on Harley-Davidson bikes are a sticking point in U.S.-India trade relations.
Tourism is the Quiet Hero of Trade
For the United States and the global economy, tourism and travel are the unsung heroes of the international trade story. Tourism brings 80 million visitors to the United States every year and accounts for 10 percent of all U.S. exports. Globally, tourism is the third-largest sector in international trade. Above all, tourism and travel promote trade in international understanding and global goodwill.
Energy Trade and GATT Rules: Is Something Missing?
Trade in hydrocarbons, fissionable materials and cross-border transmission of electricity largely take place outside the multilateral trading system. Two key developments may now lead to convergence between the energy business and the rules of the WTO.
Tying the Knot is a Global Trade Affair
Holding your wedding in an exotic foreign destination offers local vendors, from the receptionist in a tourist eco-lodge, to the caterer, local guide services, bands, and the travel agencies that booked transportation for the wedding party, the opportunity to become services exporters in global trade.
Did China Kill the Convertible Car Market?
Driving with the Top Down If you’re a movie buff like I am, you’re familiar with recurring scenes in old Hollywood films of a footloose American driving the California coastline in a bright-colored convertible with the top down, hair blowing in the wind. Driving a convertible on the open road is a quintessential American experience. But as China takes center stage in the global auto market, accounting for one quarter of all sales last year, automakers are increasingly focused on meeting Chinese consumer preferences. Between air quality and a penchant for the more practical, a lack of affinity for convertible cars in China might just kill off the future of the beloved ragtop. Air Pollution is Choking Convertible Sales Convertibles […]
“Tour and Cure”: The Rise of Medical Tourism
Whether you’re in need of a new dental crown, a facelift, fertility treatments, or a new heart valve, there are doctors and hospitals around the world who would gladly treat you, exporting their health services by offering top-of-the-line facilities with the newest technology, Western-trained doctors, comfortable stays, and reasonable bills.
Energizing U.S. Oil and Gas Exports to China
Against a backdrop of high profile trade and investment disputes between the United States and China, American hydrocarbon exports to China are booming. U.S. energy commodity exports to China went from $2.6 billion in 2016 to $8.6 billion in 2017.
Trade in Carputer Parts
The operator’s manual for the popular entry-level Honda Civic is 601 pages. It doesn’t fit in the glove box; it comes in the form of an electronic document to download, which seems appropriate considering the number of electronic components in the car. High-tech, high-cost, components are lightweight and positioned to move long distances on a just-in-time basis.