Trade Policy News

Last week, the U.S. government hosted its annual SelectUSA Investment Summit just outside of Washington, D.C. The event often draws a good crowd of potential foreign investors looking for opportunities to invest in America. With the president’s cuts to the corporate tax rate and regulations, the United States will continue to be a prime destination…

Over the weekend, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who led U.S.-China trade negotiations, announced a trade war between the two countries was “on hold.” This progress will surely bring a sigh of relief for American farmers—and short-term stability to international markets as tensions rightly de-escalate. Working Backward The two sides have been negotiating over bilateral trade…

As U.S. officials prepare to negotiate trade deals with China, it’s crucial to recognize some of the most damaging misconceptions about trade between our two nations that have spread as tensions have risen. And make no mistake: these negotiations are a big deal, as shown by those attending. The delegation from the U.S. includes free…

Trade skeptics and protectionists have charged that trade agreements like NAFTA and the U.S.-Korea trade agreement favor foreign producers and have contributed to the U.S. trade deficit. A recent Heritage Foundation event featuring speakers Frank Lavin, former undersecretary of Commerce for international trade, and Fredrik Erixon, the co-founder of a European think tank, explored the…

The president recently announced a three-pronged strategy to target China for its alleged “unfair trade practices.” This new strategy includes challenging Chinese intellectual property practices at the World Trade Organization, further restricting Chinese investment, and imposing tariffs on consumer goods from China. The administration’s approach represents a combination of good policies that will minimize harm…

The Oxford dictionary defines populism as support for the concerns of ordinary people. The Trump administration has been described as populist in many ways, particularly with its embrace of “America first” trade policies. A look at history shows how such populist policies can put America’s interests first when it comes to international trade. In the…

In an update to its Information Technology Agreement, the World Trade Organization began the process of eliminating tariffs on hundreds of technology products, resulting in the organization’s first tariff elimination agreement in almost 20 years. In this year of strong anti-trade sentiments, U.S. politicians and citizens should take note that good trade deals are possible….

The new Republican Party platform suggests: “We need better-negotiated trade agreements that put America first.” Here are nine ways future trade agreements could really put America—or more specifically, Americans—first. Trade agreements should: Guarantee U.S. manufacturers have the freedom to buy low-priced inputs like steel and raw materials free of export duties imposed by foreign governments…

No thanks to his fellow Democrats, President Barack Obama won a victory in Congress last week when Republicans voted to give him the authority to negotiate trade agreements in Asia and Europe. Too bad so much of the president’s case for the agreements is based on his belief that the United States is in decline….