While the U.S. has tried to appear assertive in taking action against China’s trade practices, this strategy has yielded limited results. In a new commentary, fellow Simon Lester summarizes current U.S. policies addressing China’s trade conduct and advocates for the U.S.’ revitalized engagement with the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement system.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative recently stepped back from ongoing negotiations on digital trade at the World Trade Organization, citing unsettled domestic policy, and suspended support for digital trade rules in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework too. But if the U.S. wants to be a part of the conversation, it should reengage and help craft rules flexible enough to meet its future domestic policy needs, writes nonresident fellow Simon Lester.
Despite recent claims that “free trade is dead,” fellow Simon Lester explains that America was never close to anything resembling free trade in the first place. Instead, current U.S. trade policy, just like past policy, reflects a messy mix of free market and industrial policy views.
Who is benefiting from Europe's skyrocketing natural gas prices? "Middle men” companies who buy natural gas or LNG in the U.S and sell LNG in Europe are receiving the windfall, write fellows Steven Miles and Anna Mikulska.
With the recent enactment of the CHIPS and Science Act, the conversation about industrial policy has started up again. Are state-directed economic policies back, and will such initiatives work?
What would happen if Russian gas stopped flowing to Europe? After recent gas cutoffs to Poland and Bulgaria, other countries’ decision on gas imports from Russia need to represent a definitive, unifying statement that time for Russian dominance over EU gas imports is over, write the authors. Read the post on the Baker Institute Blog.
This article originally appeared in the Forbes blog on May 3, 2022.
How can a U.S. response help Europe if Russian gas cuts off energy supplies of more countries following Poland and Bulgaria? The authors explain why currently, more drastic actions by the U.S. could prove counterproductive, unnecessary and harmful to U.S. trade policy. Read the post on the Baker Institute Blog.
This article originally appeared in the Forbes blog on May 2, 2022.
A lignite mine on the border of Poland and the Czech Republic is caught between global environmental and local economic concerns. For COP26 to make headway on climate action, the authors write, it must consider the local implications while proposing solutions.
The authors point to several tangible benefits of U.S. LNG exports that go beyond its low procurement cost — including greater security of supply and emissions reductions when used as an alternative to coal.
Michelle Michot Foss, Anna B. MikulskaJune 24, 2021